


A New Life In Time

by PhoenixPlume117



Series: Continuity Timeline [5]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Dimensional Travel, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Family Secrets, Fluff, Future Alix Kubdel, Gen, Its the fluffiest!, Minor Emilie Agreste/Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Origin Story, Rabbit Miraculous, Sass, Time Travel, futures luka couffaine, marinette dupain-cheng is nathalie sancoeur, nathalie sancoeur is marinette dupain-cheng, young bunnyx, young nathalie sancoeur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2020-10-29 23:27:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 45,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20804735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixPlume117/pseuds/PhoenixPlume117
Summary: A time travel accident creates a second Marinette.  To keep problems from arising everyone decides she should go back in time.  We know her now as Nathalie Sancoeur.  Nathalie Sancoeur's origin story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Do not let go of that umbrella.

A Slip in Time Makes a Whole New Life  
It was like running in a huge tunnel slide made of white light Ladybug thought. She could see Bunnyx and herself returning in the opposite direction, no doubt running back to their regular time holding on to Bunnyx's umbrella, she smiled to herself, then suddenly it was like a mirror she was running next to herself between herselves.

Bunnyx turned to say something then looked at her then her umbrella handle. She looked back at Ladybug and raised her free hand to her lips and brought one finger to her lips and suddenly her mirror image was gone. That's when she realized there was no Bunnyx with her either and she was all alone in the tunnel. 

Suddenly Bunnyx popped back in, "What did you do?!" she demanded.  
Ladybug crossed her arms, she had no idea how the time stream worked but was this okay, to just sit in it? She opened her mouth to answer but Bunnyx cut her off before she could even begin.  
"I told you to hold the umbrella. No. Matter. What!"  
Ladybug became afraid and angry, something bad had happend. More afraid than angry. "What happened."  
Bunnyx ran her fingers through her hair, "This is bad, Ladybug, really, really bad."  
Ladybug swallowed, standing tall, she could get through it. "What is it?"  
Bunnyx looked like she was trying to figure out how to describe something.  
Ladybug became more anxious the longer she took to say it. "Just say what you're thinking!"  
"It's not the right term because you're not."  
"I'm not what?!"  
"A clone."  
"A what!" Ladybug yelled!  
Bunnyx nodded, "you're more like a twin, only born now, is probably a better example, I bet you even have different thumb prints. I'd love to find out" she said to herself.  
Then Ladybug did something she never did, "ALIX! Focus! What happened?"  
Bunnyx gave her a dirty look, "well someone let go of the umbrella, didn't they? Probably at the exact moment we passed ourselves in the time stream, right?"  
Ladybug shook her head. "But I'm not the clone, the other one, she must be, I woke up this morning, I'm Ma, er, I've got parents, and stuff, I- I," she was at a loss for words.  
Bunnyx sighed and looked down, then looked back up with sad eyes, "I understand, and I'll explain it the best I can."  
Ladybug started breathing hard, her chest rising and falling rapidly, she could hear and understand everything Bunnyx was saying but at the same time it sounded foreign and far away, yet so loud as to be painful. Then her hand was on her back, rubbing small circles on on her upper back.  
"It'll be okay, we're going to figure something out, I promise, I'll make it better,I promise. You're Marinette aren't you?"  
Ladybug nodded, she just didn't have the strength to cover anything up and more than anything she needed to be acknowledge to exist in every form.  
"I won't tell, I promise. I think we're going to have to go to me when I'm older. She might know what to do."  
Ladybug was starting to breath more normally and nodded, that seemed like a pretty good idea, so did yelling at Bunnyx, "I told you, not to use your miraculous unless it was needed. It wasn't for fun."  
"If I hadn't then I wouldn't know how to get to Older Bunnyx, and I wouldn't know what happened to you, now would I?"  
Ladybug didn't say anything, she was right, all of her experiments had been very meticulous. Finally she sighed and nodded  
Bunnyx nodded, "Exactly. Okay, here's what we're going to do, we can't turn around so we're just going to get out and turn around then go forward. Then we're going to get some help. Then figure it out from there. Okay?"  
Ladybug nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Bunnyx can't fix this on her own, she needs to go to the future for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whenever I think of an adult Luka I just picture Adam Levine, with long spikey teal hair and his tattoos from now.

Bunnyx took Ladybug's hand and forcibly put it on her umbrella and they took a step and suddenly they were exactly where they'd been, the main aisle of Notre Dame. She said it was over all the safest place in Paris to time travel to because it was the safest to walk into the unknown of the future. One always had to be careful, people could be building something new, you didn't want to end up in the middle of a wall accidentally killing yourself. Apparently it had happened to past Rabbits.

Bunnyx looked at Ladybug, "do you want to stay that way or detransform?"

"Why would I detransform?"

Bunnyx didn't have the heart to tell her, her suit was fading in color. "We're not fighting anyone, it's cool though if you want to keep dressed. Let's go, we have to go to the future now," she said and opened a portal.

Ladybug had no idea how Bunnyx knew when to or how she was opening and closing the time stream but they walked a few minutes the entire time Bunnyx holding her hand with a vice like grip to her umbrella then a portal opened and they walked out. 

2028

It was just the main aisle of Notre Dame.

Bunnyx closed her umbrella and looked at Ladybug, "It's weird because it's the same but it's actually not. When we go outside, it'll be weirder. You'll expect it to be different but it probably won't be. We need to detransform."

"Why?" Ladybug said defensively.

"The people of Paris do not need to see, Teen Ladybug and Teen Bunnyx walking around when adult Ladybug and adult Bunnyx are their heros.

"Oh," she guessed that made sense.

"If you're worried about your secret we can change back before we ring the doorbell or something."

The girls detransformed and were on their way. Marinette followed Alix, she was about to say something because she was walking toward one of the Ile de la Cité's wharfs, as opposed to the bridges when they boarded a boat. Alix raised her finger to ring the bell and Marinette grabbed her hand away.

"I need to transform back," Marinette said.

Alix looked a little ill, "Marinette, you c-"

"Tikki Transform me!" Marinette called out. Nothing happened, "Tikki?" Marinette opened her purse, Tikki wasn't in there, she reached up and felt her ears, she was wearing both her miraculous. "Alix! Tikki must have gotten lost in Notre Dame, she must have been getting something to eat. I can't believe I wasn't paying attention to her."

Alix shook her head, "That's not it, Marin-"

"We have to go back," Marinette turned around and was walking off the boat when Alix grabbed her by the bicep.

"What's the rule, when you're time traveling?" Alix said, very calmly but with full authority.

"Bunnyx is in charge."

"Who, is that?"

"You."

"Are you ever, allowed to walk away?"

"No."

"Okay, I'll explain what happened to Tikki, when we get inside. I promise she's okay"

Marinette came back chastised but understanding, as Ladybug she lead the team but individuals had their places as leaders and this was Bunnyx's territory. Ladybug had already made a major mistake by not listening once, Marinette wasn't going to do it again.

Alix rang the doorbell.

They waited a minute maybe longer then heard laughter and footfalls then a man, an incredibly tall and very handsome man with long spiked, teal tipped, black hair brushed back smiled down at them. Until he realized who they were, then his smile faded. He didn't say anything just moved out of the way so they could come in and called into the house, "Alix, it happened, they're here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Visit my tumbler phoenixplume117.tumblr.com for more information about this story


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Alix is sent back to 2018 and young Marinette starts getting a sense for what 2028 is like.  
Adult Alix gives young Marinette the nickname Mininette and it's used from there on.

2028 AD

Marinette and Alix let Luka lead them further into the boat. As they walked Marinette couldn't help but look at Luka, how old was he? He had a finished black and white tattoo sleeve over his left arm, his right arm had several beautiful tattoos but it wasn't done yet. She looked back to his left arm 

Was that a snake? What happened to trying to keep things a secret? On their way they passed a poster for Kitty Section with the year 2027 on it. Everyone was still in the band, Marinette looked closely, even Adrien. Marinette gasped and looked away, she shouldn't know these things.

Alix looked at her friend immediately understanding her problem. "It's okay, nothing you're going to see should change anything for you. They're really careful."

They both heard Luka mumble something imperceptible under his breath as they walked down a flight of stairs into a well lit living area with a small attached dining area where the adult Bunnyx or rather Alix sat. She held cards in front of her with Fluff and Sass to her sides each with their own hands in card holders apparently waiting for Luka. 

"Mini Me! Mini Bug or Mininette, which do you prefer?" she went on without pausing for Marinette to answer, "To what do we owe this visit?" 

Marinette watched as Luka walked around and stood behind the adult Alix and put his hands on her shoulders and for the first time she noticed they were wearing wedding rings. Feeling a little stupid for not realizing they were together simply from the fact they were in the same house she sat down. As soon as she sat she felt overwhelmed but she looked up at the woman, "Mininette, I guess."

Luka laughed softly, and looked over at the young Alix, "You need to go back, we'll take over from here."

"But she's my responsibility."

Adult Alix nodded, "And I admire your dedication to your job but I can't take care of this alone and you can't know everyone and everything who will help me this time."

Luka kissed the top of his wife's head and stood back up, "Come on, Pink, and don't try anything."

Adult Alix looked like she was thinking about something then she looked at her kwami, "Fluff why don't you go with Luka, just in case." She said handing her miraculous to Luka.

Marinette almost choked, were they crazy? Sass and Fluff even seemed to find this behavior completely acceptable, conversing while following uka round. Marinette must have made a noise because the woman looked across the table at her. "It's okay, it's a little different when you're married."

"But  _ my Alix _ didn't know about Luka!"

Adult Alix had the grace to look somewhat ashamed in front of the adolescent girl. "Actually, Luka and Alix both know already."

Marinette turned, eyes boring into her friend's eyes. Alix quickly looked at the floor, meanwhile Luka laughed softly, "Ready to go now?" he said reaching for his guitar case, where the kwamis liked to ride.

The young Alix bounced on the balls of her feet and mumbled to the affirmative. They left after Luka pressed quick kisses to his wife's cheeks. 

Marinette turned back to the older Alix, "Don't be too mad, we did it for safety. Bunnyx and Viperion traveling together is a good idea. What if I end up in a wall? Or him? Second Chance and we're home again. We told them for safety. Besides in a year after you give everyone their kwami's to keep with them they figured out who each other were, except you and Adrien."

"I gave Sass to Luka, Adrien doesn't have a kwami," Marinette said, wondering if this Alix's timeline might be different after all.

"Oh, Mininette," Alix shook her head and began laughing so hard tears were forming on the outsides of her eyes. She stood up and wiped her eyes still laughing but not as hard and that's when Marinette noticed she was pregnant. Alix nodded, "That's why she had to go. I never planned on having kids when I was her age. Neither of us did, some stuff happened and we just decided good timing, kismet whatever. That's also why Luka has both the Miraculous. Get it now?"

Marinette nodded, she'd never even thought of the ramifications of being pregnant. 

"Want something to drink?"

Marinette shrugged, "Water."

Alix picked up a couple glasses and pulled a bottle out of the fridge then walked back to the table. She poured them both glasses then picked up her phone and started texting.

Marinette, sat uncomfortably, Bunnyx had come back to help a couple times but this was the first time she was in her time and she didn't really know how to deal with it. It really didn't look any different except the phone in her hand was really sharp edged, not rounded and Marinette had started to notice the pictures on the walls were all their friends but everyone was older. "You can ask, I just won't tell you if you shouldn't know."

"How old are you?"

Alix took a sip of water, "It's '28, I'm 28, I'm older than everyone else though, remember?"

"You don't look that old."

Alix made a rude noise, "Thanks kid."

Mininette rolled her eyes, "You barely look older than me."

"It's part of being a chosen. You know that, as long as you have your kwami you pretty much stop aging at 24 or 25."

Where's Tikki?"

Alix frowned and sighed sadly, "Do you understand how kwami's are born?"

Marinette nodded, "When a new idea is born in the universe, then a kwami is too."

Alix nodded and shrugged, "Something like that, yeah. Well, that didn't happen. Did Mini Me explain that you are not a clone or a copy at least?"

"She said it but it doesn't make any sense."

The doorbell rang, and Alix sighed, "looks like everyone's going to start arriving now, I'll explain it when everyone's here."

Marinette stood up but didn't know if she should follow.

Alix started up the stairs, "You can come if you want," she said.

Marinette hurried up after her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Visit my tumbler phoenixplume117.tumblr.com for more information about this story


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part of the group comes together to figure out what they're going to do with Mininette.  
Mininette finds out who Chat Noir was, and who he married, and apparently has children with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brush your teeth there's a lot of sweet in this chapter. This story can be read alone, before or after my other story "Today's Decisions, Tomorrow's Consequences" the stories are connected so the experience the characters talk about here will take place in the other story.

2028 AD

Alix opened the door shut it and turned back to Mininette. "Actually, it might be better if you waited downstairs," she whispered.

"Hey! Alix! Let us in!" came a male voice.

Mininette turned to Alix, "Is that Adrien!"

Before Alix could reply the voice on the other side replied, "Yes! Open the door! We could freeze out here."

Alix opened the door enough for her to stick her head outside, "It is summer!" She turned her head to the adult Marinette holding hands with the sandy haired man, "I told _you_ not to bring him!" then she turned to the man, "Go home Adrien."

Adrien's laughing face was replaced with complete seriousness, "what's going on."

"It's a time situation that will probably upset you, and will definitely upset her," Alix said. She turned back to the adult Marinette, "why can't you listen to me, when I tell you it's my time to take charge?"

Marinette's smile faded, "I'm sorry."

Luka appeared behind them with Max, "What's going on?"

"He's not supposed to be here," Alix said nodding her head toward Adrien.

"I take it Mininette's on the other side of the door?" Luka assumed based off Alix not letting anyone in.

Alix nodded.

"I'll talk to her," Luka walked past Alix.

Mininette watched Luka come toward her and saw him motion her to come with him back downstairs, so she followed.

"We need to talk before everyone else comes down."

Mininette nodded.

"How old are you?"

"Um, I'm not sure how to answer that, I guess I was just born or something, Alix was just getting ready to explain-"

Luka rested his hand on her shoulder, "Shh, no, I'm not talking about that, how old are you in the normal way?"

Marinette blushed, "Oh! I just turned seventeen."

Luka nodded and pointed to the place Mininette had been sitting, indicated by the glass and she sat. "So, we've already talked about Adrien right?"

Mininette turned red and nodded. A couple months ago, the Luka in her time and she talked about her crush on Adrien, and his cluelessness.

Luka jumped in, "I'm not as knowledgeable about how the timeline works as Alix is. Sass and I don't use the timeline, only she does. What I do know is, you are not the same person as the woman upstairs."

Mininette frowned, "What do you mean? Alix said I'm not a copy." 

"I'm going to let her explain that because she's better at it but I will say this, _you_ were meant to be born, no matter how," he said in his soothing voice. 

Marinette looked at his arms trying to make sense of everything and gave up deciding to decipher his tattoos instead. There was a clock in the middle of his forearm with the words, 'I would move through time to find you" coiled around it like a snake. 

"...okay, Mininette? Mininette? Marinette?" Luka's voice sounded concerned when she didn't respond.

"Huh?"

"Are you going to be okay with everyone coming down?" Luka looked at her noticing she looked dazed.

Sass floated over, "Young Marinette, you are resourceful, everything will work out, you'll see."

Fluff nodded, "You have far too many names, I can't keep up, you're going to be fine. Hop to!"

Mininette nodded to him.

Luka smiled the secret smile, Mininette hated, then stood up and went back upstairs. Fluff had joined Sass and both were comforting Mininette.

Mininette walked to the pictures on the bookcase and picked one up. It looked like Julika and Rose's wedding. Both chose to wear white dresses in very different styles. She wondered if either of them had let her design their dress. She loved both of them and the dresses were perfect for them. She looked closely in the background of the picture she noticed Mylene, Ivan, Luka, Alix, Adrien and her, or an older Marinette.

"Do you like them? They were the first wedding dresses I ever did," came the smooth voice of her older self. Or maybe not _her_ older self (she corrected herself mentally) according to Luka. Marinette had been sent down alone, so it wouldn't be too much for Mininette, but it was turning out to be very emotional for Marinette. 

Mininette put the picture back, "They're beautiful," and turned to Marinette then said with surprise, "we look the same."

Marinette laughed shaking her head, her loose hair flowing around her, "What do you expect? You're almost done growing, and you're looking at a picture of us." she combed her hair back with her hand.

Mininette looked at her hand, "You're married?"

Marinette bit her lip and nodded with a big smile, "Two years after that," she said pointing to Rose and Julika's wedding picture

Mininette looked up and saw Max coming down stairs, "Hello Young Marinette."

"Hello," Max seemed the most changed of all the friends she'd seen so far. He'd let his hair grow out and wore it in cornrows like Pegasus only his were black, and his entire sense of fashion seemed to have changed, he was wearing a leather jacket and boots with his jeans.

Mininette was just getting ready to turn back and ask, when Alix walked down the stairs arguing with Adrien behind her.

"They're stairs Agreste, I'm not going to kill myself, and the baby will be fine. You drove Marinette crazy when she was pregnant, leave me alone."

"Do you know the percentage of accidents happen on stairs? Max!"

"Adrien, leave her alone," Max replied from the dining table where he had picked up the cards and was shuffling them.

Mininette looked at Marinette, then at her abdomen, then to her face again,

Marinette shrugged and smiled, "Surprise?"

"Does he know?!" Mininette whispered in shock and confusion. Had _she_ lost her mind and told a civilian she was Ladybug?

Marinette looked at her in confusion, of course Adrien knew he had children.

Alix walked over to them, "Mininette, sorry but we've got a lot to discuss and Adrien wasn't supposed to come, but he's here anyway."

Adrien stood at the base of the stairs, apparently waiting for permission to come into the room.

Mininette looked at her crush, now grown and apparently married and a father. He seemed different, like Max he dressed differently, but it wasn't edgy, it was more homey with an oversized sweater and dark khaki fitted jeans and loafers he looked every inch a father but not at all a member of a rock band. He was still hot, gorgeous even but she just didn't feel the pull she always had, it just felt like someone flipped the switch for her feelings toward him to the 'OFF' position.

Alix looked at her watching the younger girl react considering how she reacted to Adrien when they were younger. "Can he come down?"

Mininette, "No."

Everyone, Adrien included seemed a little shocked.

"This is a private discussion and I don't care if you're married and share everything with Luka, _he_ at least shares that part of your life." She turned to Marinette "You, know better."

Marinette looked hurt, like bad memories were coming over her.

Alix turned to Adrien, "come down, everyone sit down we have a lot to go over and decide starting with catching Mininette up."

Mininette watched everyone go to the table except Luka who walked into the hallway behind the stairs. What had just happened, she had said, 'no'.

Alix looked at her from the table and motioned to the chair to her left, "Mininette sit."

She came over and sat between Marinette and Alix. When she settled into the cushioned rolling dining chair she noticed everyone's kwami's were in the middle of the table arguing about something, "Plagg?"

Plagg turned to her, "Hey, kid, had better days?"

Mininette looked around the room and back to the kwamis. Everyone's eyes were expectant, she wasn't quite sure what they were expecting until she looked at Adrien and she realized, he didn't have a kwami, and Plagg shouldn't be here without Chat. She gasped and covered her mouth.

Marinette patted her back, "That would have been so much better than the way I found out."

Adrien took the cards Max offered him and mumbled, "Yeah, no kidding," remembering the night his girlfriend was nearly abducted by a stranger in her eagerness to get away from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Visit my tumbler phoenixplume117.tumblr.com for more information about this story


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out, about exactly who Mininette will become.  
Adrien has a difficult time with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> belle-mère is French for Step-Mom it literally translates as "beautiful mother" originally I was going to have Alix make a comment about that but Adrien is having a hard enough time dealing with this situation.
> 
> Please leave feedback, would you have liked some additional torture?
> 
> On my tumbler I discuss in Timetagger what may look like a shirt on adult Alix is actually a very elaborate double sleeve tattoo. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qR9_BNYSUAQ/hqdefault.jpg This picture is the best source to show it, it doesn't take much imagination to add in a pocket watch among the flowers or words along her snakes. Enjoy.

2028 AD

Mininette looked at Adrien, "You've always been?"

"Since the first day she fell into my heart," he winked at his wife who was standing next to him."

Marinette _ and _ Mininette groaned then laughed when they realized they'd done it together.

Alix sat while Luka went to get more chairs and when everyone was situated she began. 

"Eleven years ago LB gave us our Kwamis permanently so we could learn our powers and bond. Part of that process for me," she looked at Marinette, "In my opinion, was time traveling and recording my experiences. Do you remember what happened?"

Marinette nodded, "I told you that you were abusing your powers and you showed me all your research and took me in the past to prove how careful you were. After I saw how meticulous you were when you took me with you I agreed. What you were doing was really a good idea."

Alix nodded, but she looked at Mininette and swallowed reaching for Luka's hand without looking and Mininette noticed she had a matching pocket watch tattoo with the words, 'I'd move through time to find you' coiled around it hidden among the flowers on her arm. "That day, when I took you back, you let go of my umbrella, for a moment, but it was at precisely the wrong moment, it was at the same time, when we were traveling back in the other direction. When that happened it caused a tear in the timeline."

Max perked up, "A tear? Like an aneurysm?"

Alix turned to him excited, "_ Yes! _ Exactly like that! A pocket formed and Mininette formed. It's very important that everyone here understand that she is not a copy or a clone. She may have Marinette's history and memories but she has her own soul." Alix turned to Mininette intently, "That's the other reason why you don't have Tikki, and why in case you haven't noticed, you haven't really been too worried about seeing her, nor has she been worried about seeing you."

Mininette looked at Tikki sitting in the middle of the table and while it was good to see she was safe, she didn't feel the same toward her as she did before. It was the same as with Adrien, it was as if a switch had been turned off.

Alix continued, "She's not your kwami anymore."

Luka began talking, before anyone else could interrupt especially Marinette who looked ready to burst. "Alix and I have spent years trying to figure out how to help you. We knew this day would come. We think we know who you are, or could be, or will be. We'll get to that but you're going to learn a lot of things and we need to know you will not use it against us in your future."

Mininette looked a little offended, "Of course not."

Luka nodded, "I know you Mininette, your sense of honor is too strong, but we all had to hear you say it."

Everyone around the table looked confused, except Alix, she looked serious.

Alix looked at her with a very serious expression, "You're going to eventually become Hawkmoth's greatest ally."

Mininette shook her head, "No, that can't be right."

Adrien shook his head, then looked at Marinette and squinted then gasped.

Alix turned to him, "I told you not to come."

Adrien looked from Alix to Marinette then to Mininette then back to Alix, "So, if they're not clones or copies what are they?"

Alix shrugged, "Sisters?"

Adrien's face scrunched up.

Alix rolled her eyes, "Cousins? Doppelgangers if it makes you feel better. But they're really probably sisters, and you need to get over it. I'd love to run blood tests." Alix looked up to Max who was also nearly salivating at the prospect of a few simple tests, nothing invasive, of course.

Adrien's face turned a little green, "You're telling me that my _ belle-mère _ is my wife's twin sister?"

Marinette didn't look so good either.

Mininette swallowed, Adrien's step mother? She'd always respected Gabrielle Agreste, and of course he was handsome, look at his son, but married to him? It finally dawned on her, Mayura, was Nathalie Sancoeur. _ She _ was Nathalie Sancoeur, suddenly the room became overwhelmingly hot.

"Just give her some space, she's going to be fine. Imagine if you find out you're someone else after almost 20 years," Max's voice was saying, she felt someone's legs under hers and felt her body on the floor.

Mininette was coming to slowly. "I'm fine, I've never fainted in my life!"

"And you're still fine, but I still want you to lay down for a few minutes. And I want the rest of you to sit back down, only one of us went to med school and it wasn't any of you," Max chastised his friends.

Marinette went to the kitchen and returned with a wet cloth. "Will this help?"

Max shook his head, "Not yet, thanks though." He turned back to Mininette, "how's your head?"

Mininette's face twisted, "Hurts," she said simply.

Max nodded and pulled his legs out from under hers. "Ready to try sitting up?"

She nodded and regretted it at once, cringing, "yeah."

Max helped her to the chair and put the washcloth at the base of her neck. "You're fine now, you're just… new?" he said even wondering if that was the right term himself. He looked at Luka, "she needs some water and probably some Acetaminophen." 

While she was taking the medicine and drinking water Adrien left and returned with some paper and a pen which he placed in front of Mininette. "Feeling better? Let's take a break, this is pretty heavy stuff, we can play a game, till you're feeling better."

Mininette picked up the pen with her left hand and squinted at him, not sure what he was up to, "I'm fine." She turned to Alix, "So, what if you're wrong? What's next?"

Everyone at the table just stared at her, she was the epitome of a young Nathalie. She'd lost one of her hair ties when she'd collapsed so she'd pulled all her hair back into one ponytail and her bangs were long enough they'd been swept in too except for a whisp. She was sitting ramrod straight, offended at the idea of being considered Mayura, and with one of Alix's red kitchen towels wrapped around her neck to help regulate her body temperature didn't help her convince anyone she wasn't. But the two most curious things had happened were her black ladybug earrings had turned white and she seemed to have become left handed.

Alix cleared her throat, "_If _ I'm wrong, and that's a very unlikely possibility," she said surreptitiously looking around the table and the others attempted to nod their agreement without Mininette seeing, meanwhile looking at Marinette in shock. How had they never noticed? "What would you like to do?" Alix continued.

Mininette looked down at the paper and started a list, "Avoid becoming Nathalie. Go someplace far away," she looked at Max, "Can you do that? Can you take me to my family in China?"

He shook his head.

Alix shook her head and pointed to Marinette, "Their niece is almost 30, married and has children, she isn't a teenager who hasn't even finished her BAC yet."

Luka grabbed Alix's hand and squeezed, she turned to him and there was some form of silent communication before she nodded and he said, "We've saved up some money for you, it's not going to be easy but, you're going to have to live alone. We can put you _ when _ you want, within reason, and," he looked at Max "where you want, also within reason. We just can't do much more than that."

Adrien and Marinette looked at eachother, "we can give some too."

Max nodded, "I don't think money will be a problem, it's the exchange depending on the time period."

Alix shook her head, "diamonds and gold, then it's cheating but we'll research the stock market and invest for quick turnover so she'll have enough to set herself up," she turned to Mininette, "One time, it's only fair, she won't have anyone." 

Marinette smiled, this was exactly why she had allowed Alix to continue her research.

Mininette wasn't paying attention to the group around her she was writing: 1995 Tibet, peahen & butterfly, China 2000.

Marinette looked over at what she was writing, "Any ideas?"

"Only two so far."

Luka spoke up, "Mininette, let's hear them."

"You said you didn't want me to be the same age as you guys right? So what about going to China in 2000?"

Adrien looked at her and spoke in Chinese and waited.

Mininette just looked at him, "There's no need to be nasty, I know I don't know Chinese, maybe I could live in Hong Kong."

Adrien looked at her as if she sprouted a second head, "Do you realize how expensive that is?"

"Then I better start selling my designs fast."

"Your designs are two decades too modern."

Alix rolled her eyes, "Okay, so China isn't going to work. What did you say?"

"'How can you live in China when you can't understand anything people are saying.'" Adrien replied.

Mininette crossed her arms, "I knew you were being nasty."

Marinette went into peacemaker mode, "Okay, what else do you have?"

Mininette looked at her paper, "Master Fu said the last time the Peahen or Butterfly miraculous was accounted for was in 1995 by a villager, what if I live in or near the ruins and protect them from the theft and the last fire, the one that burned the village too."

"_ That _ is a great idea," Marinette said.

Mininette turned to Adrien, "I don't speak that language either." 

He said something in Chinese to her then turned to everyone at the table, "It's too dangerous."

Mininette looked like she was thinking really hard then perked up, "I know, it's still China!" she replied triumphantly to Adrien having figured out what he had said but not paying attention to anything else.

Alix turned to Adrien, "Do you have any better ideas?"

"Here? London? US? Canada? Germany?"

Alix shook her head, "All those places would require too much documentation. I don't have access to that yet, I haven't made those kinds of connections. Do you have those kinds of connections Maestro?"

He shook his head.

Mininette frowned, "No Hong Kong?"

Alix shook her head, "You can _ move _ to those places, but you're going to have to start in a village and say you were born at home, that will be the most believable. Depending on the place we can even use your features to our advantage. I like the idea of you finding the miraculous." Alix sighed and looked down at her watch which was also twirled around her wrist like a snake, "Wow, we've been at this for 3 hours. You guys hungry?"

Mininette yawned.

Luka stood, "We have an extra room, do you want to get some sleep?"

Mininette nodded and he took her down another flight of stairs.

As soon as he left Alix turned back to everyone, "She can only alter the timeline so much. She was meant to be born so she was," she turned to Adrien, "Your sister was meant to be born so she _ will _marry your father no matter what we do. And, no doubt she will become Mayura.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mininette leaves and the team starts brainstorming where to start along with who can be of the most use. A few secrets come to the surface and apologies are made. Marinette figures out some very dark secrets about Tikki

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is really long, I "coulda shoulda woulda" divided it into 2 but, it's been a really yucky day and I just wanted to get it posted for you guys. The next part is hammering on the back of my head begging me to type it up but I forbade myself to do it until this was posted. Finger's crossed Gabe doesn't give me brain damage, before this gets posted. It's going in a different direction than originally planned so... huh, we all will get new story.

2028 AD

"She can only alter the timeline so much. I have no doubt she _ will _ become Mayura."

Luka walked back in, "Need I remind you all, it was Mayura who ended the feud? You're acting like she was a demon." Luka looked at Adrien, "And you, from _ your _ stories it sounds like she treated you like her own child most of the time, even when your mom was alive. Right, now that girl is seventeen, alone and terrified. Yet we're adults acting like she's a villain out to get us when she needs us," he shook his head and looked around the room, "grow the fuck up you guys." he said and walked into the kitchen. Everyone looked a little shocked, Luka hardly ever had outbursts of anger, but he was right, she was a scared young girl and she needed them.

Adrien looked ashamed, "Should we call Nathalie? She would have all the answers."

Alix shrugged, "I really don't know, I was planning on doing some research. Mininette's not going anywhere just yet. I think I'm going to have to send Luka back to get some help." She sighed, "I just don't know who to get, Nostradamus, Mother Shipton, they're both so hard to understand. The ancient oracles don't even speak French, do any of you speak Latin?" She said more to herself than anyone else, "African connections of Egypt, Kush and Ethiopia aren't going to be useful if she's staying in Europe and Asia. Or maybe someone from Samarkand? Li Chungfeng or Yuan Tiangang seem like the best options but I don't speak Chinese," Alix said sighing again.

Everyone watched her rapid fire thought process.

Adrien spoke up when he thought it was safe, "I speak Latin and Chinese."

Alix looked at him critically, "Yes, we know, you're quite the polyglot," referring to his abundance of language skills.

Marinette stood up still upset about something and went to the kitchen to help Luka make a simple dinner.

Sass looked at Fluff, "What do you suggest?"

"Give the girl with many names, jewels, let her live with the fire and stone, she will stay until the woman comes to take her to the palace of gold and marble where she will meet her prince and she will run from him."

Adrien looked up from the crazed rabbit kwami to Alix, "That's not what you said."

Alix looked at Fluff worried, "Fluff?"

The kwami floated upside down to her, "Hmmmmmm?"

Alix smiled, she could never quite figure out if being aware of all the timelines and possibilities had driven her kwami crazy or if that was just who he was, either way she loved him. "Fluff, is that it, or is there more?"

Fluff looked confused, "More what?"

Alix always had to be patient when this happened, "About Mininette, what happens after she meets her prince?"

"Oh, she leaves, she cannot be near him, she cannot bear it, no, no, especially after the child, she leaves it's best for everyone," Fluff nods and that's the end of it, she knows she won't get anymore out of him.

"Now you know why all those seers were so obscure," Alix says to Max and Adrien.

Max's jaw dropped, "Are you saying Nostradamus was a Rabbit Miraculous chosen?" 

Alix's eyebrows came together and she looked at him as if _ he _ were crazy, "Well, of course, you didn't think _ he _ predicted all those things did you? Fluff told him those things and he wrote them down."

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Marinette angrily chopped at a potato while Luka stirred the vegetables in the pot of soup they were making. Luka turned to her, "what's going on, Marinette?"

"She lied, and so did you."

"You would have taken not just hers but all of our kwami's away. Imagine if Fu took Tikki from you. Do you remember how desperate Chloé would get, to see Pollen? You don't understand, you never had to depend on anyone else to get your kwami. They're like little soul mates. Didn't you get that when you gave Sass to Adrien and it didn't work? We're called "Chosen,'' those words have meaning Marinette, you're the guardian, pay attention to words, they're important."

Marinette was seething. She'd had her kwami taken, she _ knew _ what it was like, it didn't entitle any of the lying. She was the one who was _ entitled _ to her anger, "No, Luka, my first priority is protecting the secret of the miraculous, not making sure everyone is happy with their kwamis. Finding out that Alix hid accidentally creating a new human from me makes me livid. I'm tempted to use Fluff myself to go back to retrieve the miraculouses from everyone and tell my younger self to go back to giving them out on an as needed basis."

Luka smiled knowingly at her, "but you won't."

Marinette frowned up at him, "Oh?"

Luka shook his head and took the potatoes from the board and put them in the pot, "Too dangerous."

Marinette looked up from the tomato she had been cutting, with shock, "How did you know?"

Luka laughed, "It's going around, Alix, Rose, Vivica, you're subtle I'll give you that. But you didn't cut any of those capsicum peppers, and usually the first thing you do when you come over is walk into the kitchen and start making coffee."

Marinette almost argued but the look on Luka's face said he wasn't guessing, he firmly believed she was pregnant. She growled. "Fine, yes, but Adrien can still do it."

Luka laughed, "Yeah, right! I can just imagine 16 year old Ladybug seeing your husband in Bunnyx's outfit tell her to take everyone's kwamis back."

"She would if Chat told her to," Marinette sniffed.

Luka looked down at her, the humor starting to fade away, "No, she wouldn't, _ you _ know that better than anyone. How old were you when you truly allowed him to be your equal?"

Marinette handed him the cutting board with the cut tomatoes for the soup feeling ashamed, her need for control. "Nineteen, and it's not up for discussion. So, everyone got to keep their miraculous, congratulations you both succeeded in lying to me," she reached for a cucumber and began butchering it. She silently mutilated veggies and placed them on a plate.

Luka sighed, "Marinette, anything I say is just going to make you more angry."

Marinette washed the knife and board, "Then don't. I'm not sure when you started but you two have been a team for a long time, and that's great." She looked at him with huge upset blue eyes, "but it really hurts to think you've both been manipulating me all this time," she said walking out of the kitchen pasting a smile on her face.

Alix went to the kitchen, "What happened? She's really upset."

Luka shrugged, "We've been lying to her for 11 years, and she just found out."

Alix leaned back against the sink, her hands full of plates and silverware, "I couldn't risk it, what if we didn't end up together?"

Luka looked at her sideways, "You're talking to me. That's not going to work," he said softly

Alix sighed, "Okay, yeah, we know that now, but I didn't when I first went back," she said emotionally.

Luka shrugged and started taking things back and forth to the table. "That's why she's mad, she's upset that you didn't tell her the truth immediately."

"She would have demanded we all hand in our miraculous," Alix huffed. Then she whispered, "You know how I feel about one of us being a guardian, not just Marinette but _ any _ of us, it's _ too _much power for one person to have a miraculous and be a guardian. What was the old man thinking? And giving it to the Ladybug wielder? That's just asking for trouble."

Adrien walked into the kitchen, "Need help?"

Alix spun around and handed him the pile of plates and silverware, "Thank you!," she said too loud and far too brightly.

Adrien looked critically at her.

At the table Max was looking at Marinette, "Is there a reason you didn't make coffee?"

Marinette looked cooly at him, "Why is everyone obsessed about me giving up my afternoon coffee today?"

Max crossed his arms over his chest, "Usually you make it for everyone and I was looking forward to it. Sorry."

Marinette instantly felt sorry for being cross with her friend, "I'm sorry, I'll make some after we eat if you'd like?"

Max smiled, "But then everyone will notice, when you don't drink any."

Marinette stood up and growled, "What is this?!"

Adrien walked out with the pile of plates and set the table, "What's what? I am getting more comfortable with this whole 'Nathalie is your sister' thing. We're not related, it's not gross right?" He looked at her beseechingly, begging her to fix his life.

Marinette saw the worry and comforted him, "Not gross just a little weird, Kitty."

Adrien looked genuinely upset and continued, "Besides, I'm worried, what do you think Fluff meant about after the baby was born she'd leave, Estelle is three. Does that mean she's just going to walk away? I don't think father could take it, not after Maman hurt him so much."

Max interrupted his troubled thoughts, "I don't want to scare you but he didn't say baby, he said 'child' maybe that makes a difference, like when her first tooth comes out or she goes to school?"

Adrien looked at Marinette with worry, "I really think we should call her."

Alix walked in with the veggies, Luka following with the soup.

Marinette shook her head, "No, this is Alix's show, we need to trust her, she knows what she's doing."

Alix looked at Marinette and smiled, "Thank you." After a pause she continued, "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never told you, I had my reasons, and I still feel they're valid but you are our leader and it was wrong nonetheless. Especially, since you are my friend, I know you well enough to know you would have helped me handle it. I know that this was the only way it would have happened but I'm sorry anyway."

Marinette sighed and nodded, "Thank you. You _ are _ unorthodox but you definitely know what you are doing and I wouldn't trust Fluff to anyone but you. Speaking of which, should we keep Mininette here until after the baby comes?"

Alix shook her head, "No, I don't want her bounced around too much. She doesn't belong here, she needs to spend as little time here as possible, especially because she _ will _ live in this time, in this place. She needs moved to her final time and place as soon as possible. I think Tibet is actually a great idea."

Max spoke up, "But Ladybug fixed it, the monastery is there now. Isn't it possible that when she fixed it, it was fixed in time? That _ is _ how it usually works, things revert to the original. We might be sending her to a fully functioning temple?

Alix shook her head, "Less likely, after we eat, Luka and you can go scope it out, but if the temple had been restored in history then Hawkmoth would never have been able to steal the butterfly miraculous. And if he had never used it to turn Ivan then Mari and Adrien would never have become Ladybug and Chat and if they had never become heroes we never would have become heroes, it's a domino effect. The fact they're still here," she said pointing to the kwami sitting around a large plate filled with each of their preferred foods on an end table next to her sofa, "Shows the temple wasn't fixed in time." She took a bite and looked like she was thinking. "It was gone for over 100 years, can you imagine the devastation on history a reversion would render?" Alix looked at Tikki, "You're supposed to be the Kwami of creation but you've got a little bit of destruction in you don't you?"

Tikki looked up at her and gave her a cocky little gallic shrug.

Plagg winked and said, "It's always the rabbits who figure it out."

Marinette frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Adrien looked at her, "If the akuma or amok has caused someone to create something, the miraculous ladybugs will destroy it. We think of what they're doing as recreating but in reality what they're doing is destroying a reality to restore an old reality."

Alix nodded, "Very good Maestro."

Only Marinette had ever witnessed Plagg's raw power when she was younger. He would talk about Pompeii and the Dinosaurs but who knew if it was the truth. This was the first time Marinette recognized the destructive potential of her own kwami. After all, how many times had she fixed Paris? She'd rebuilt the temple and even the Matterhorn and part of the Swiss Alps once. But was she really fixing things was it really destroying a timeline? Marinette looked at Tikki out of the corner of her eye, she'd often wondered why her power was considered more significant than Alix's. Now she knew.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remembering Notre Dame. Mininette finds out about Notre Dame's fire and Marinette tells her a little bit of what it was like in 2019. Luka and Max go to back to 1995 to see Tibet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely hope you like the Luka when he uses the Rabbit Miraculous... and the name. XD I imagine that him and Alix probably tried each other's kwami's when they were still teenagers.

2028 AD

Adrien pulled out his phone and checked the time. "Your mom's going to need to go to sleep soon."

Marinette nodded.

Everyone was preparing to go back to the cathedral to send Luka and Max back to 1995. Their best estimate, without knowing Nathalie's age. 

Marinette spoke up, "I'll go get Mininette."

Alix nodded, "She's welcome to stay if she wants, there's still soup in the kitchen."

Marinette nodded, "You guys can start without me."

Adrien waited for them to leave, "Do you want me to wait?"

She shook her head, "Go with them. Take Tikki, they all seem to have figured it out anyway."

He laughed, "It's our job to be observant."

"I didn't drink coffee, or cut a pepper, that's hardly an announcement."

He shrugged. "Max is a doctor, Luka is the most observant person I know and Alix is one of your oldest friends."

"He's a neurologist what does that have to do with _ anything _? And I don't know if Alix knows."

"She probably does by now."

Marinette walked toward the stairs, "Go on and get your congratulations for doing nothing while I suffer for the majority of the next year." 

He grinned Chattily, "If you insist," he kissed her on the nose then looked at the steep steps as she began walking down. "Be careful, a lot of accidents ha-"

"Yeah, yeah, Tiger, we know, now go."

Adrien grumbled about dangers of stairs and walked up the other flight of stairs.

Marinette knocked on the doorway of the guest bedroom since Mininette had left the door open. She was sleeping in a tight ball under the covers. Marinette wished she could take the girl home with her but she knew Alix didn't want her off the island. She understood Mininette should see as little of Paris and this time as possible. She leaned over the girl and gently put her hand on her arm and softly said, "Minin-hmm, that's not going to work-," She changed her mind and tried again, with a system that was more likely to work with a name the girl was used to, "MARINETTE WAKE UP!," Marinette yelled the way her parents used to.

Mininette stirred but didn't fully rouse. "Mm?"

Marinette knew how to wake her but every way seemed cruel.

As she thought over her options Mininette's bleary eyes began to clear, "Wha?"

Marinette smiled relieved, "Everyone is heading to the cathedral, if you want to go back to sleep, you're more than welcome to, there is food in the galley, if you're hungry or if you'd like, you can come." 

Mininette stretched under the blankets, "I'll come."

Marinette stood up and Mininette spun around and got out of bed behind her and walked over to the mirror and ran her fingers through her wavy hair and spun it up into a bun and shoved the pencils that were in her pockets through it to keep it in place. "Okay, ready."

Marinette just smiled and nodded, "Okay, let's go." 

When they got up and out everyone else was already gone but it was not a far walk, she sent a quick group text to tell everyone they were on their way.

As they came around the east side Mininette gasped and Marinette looked over at her. Her eyes were filled with tears and her hands covered her mouth. What had happened? Marinette couldn't find anything, then she saw on the side of the building was a sign identifying some of the donors. Marinette thought, 'Of course, she comes from 2018, the fire was in 2019, she has no idea.' she ran to her and hugged her. "She's okay now. It was horrible for a while, but it's okay now."

Mininette looked angry, "why didn't you do anything?"

Marinette felt the old pain, the pain every single one of the team had felt. "I'll tell you a secret, that I've never told anyone, not even Adrien. I tried that night. It didn't work. I was always terrified I'd done something wrong, because it was the first time I had called 'Miraculous Ladybugs' without cleansing an akuma first, I knew they were not mutually exclusive but in the back of my mind they always were. So went into the catacombs, which are horrible when you're alone, and called them."

Mininette wiped her eyes and was looking at the cathedral as if it might crumble any minute, simply because she had taken it for granted. "Why did you go there?"

"Oh, if you could have seen it? It was horrible but everyone came, it wasn't about religion, everyone had candles and there was so much love, people were singing and praying, no one wanted her to burn, I couldn't be seen, people kept a vigil everywhere. I wanted to be as close as possible but I couldn't be seen." The memory was so painful she repeated herself again, "I just couldn't be seen."

"What happened?"

Marinette's eyes filled, "the ladybugs came, they spread for only a moment, then they were gone. I remember confidently going up expecting to hear cheers but," she shook her head slowly, "everyone was still singing and she was still burning. I'm afraid I'll never hear _ Ave Maria _ and feel anything but despair ever again."

"So they didn't do anything?"

Marinette shook her head. "I don't think they were supposed to. I think if I told Alix she would tell me, 'it was meant to happen. It is part of a snowball effect' or 'domino effect'." Marinette remembered when she was younger the words that had comforted her 'she'll be back, you know' had come from Nathalie. The irony was not lost on her, she was comforting Mininette and in a few years _ she _ would be comforting a young Marinette, it kind of hurt her brain to think about it. Marinette wrapped her arm around Minninet's back in a half hug and urged her around the cathedral. "Look, she's back, you'd never know she was gone. You didn't even realize it the first time you came through, did you?"

Mininette shook her head.

"They did a pretty amazing job didn't they? It didn't burn completely just the tower and some of the inside," Marinette knew she shouldn't be telling her all this, but she was seeing the after, anyway.

Mininette nodded slowly feeling like it might be a trick. They were finally at the doors and Marinette walked in first. She led the way to where everyone was. It was a complex maze but apparently she was used to it.

Mininette looked around, she'd been wrong, it _ was _ different. She began crying again but tried to cover it from everyone else. 

Marinette discreetly shook her head at everyone telling them to give her some space. They had had time to grieve. This was an entirely new concept to Mininette. 

While she walked around looking at the remodeled cathedral Alix coached Luka and Max on what they were to do.

"Don't you think it might be more logical to just go to the temple now?" Asked Max.

Alix nodded, "I did think about that," she looked over at Marinette, "They're really sticklers though aren't they?"

Marinette nodded. "They want me to return our box. They keep leaning on me but _ I'm _ the guardian, it's done."

Adrien walked over and put his arm around her. The situation seemed to be more serious than she was letting on.

Alix worried for Mininette's safety, "If they're that controlling I don't think they'll want her floating around. I think it would be best if they didn't know she existed."

Marinette thought about it for a moment, then nodded, "I agree."

Adrien had a worried look on his face but nodded and sighed, "I agree."

Luka nodded, "Okay." He had already transformed into Rabid Hare, Alix had chosen the name. Transformed his hair was long again, with a white top hat perched on his head with his blue ears poking out through the brim matching his now light blue tipped hair. His suit was completely different from Bunnyx's. Gone was the cotton puff instead he wore an unbuttoned light blue long tailed tuxedo. The jacket with white a tie, shirt and vest under it and a pin sized puffy little cottontail tie tack in the middle of it. All of the markings from Bunnyx's costume were along edges of pockets and seams. The blue pants were tucked into old fashioned white hunting boots that came to the knee with the same markings as Bunnyx's. Hooked over one wrist was the umbrella and dangling from a silver chain was the miraculous, apparently Rabid Hare wore a pocket watch, with a mean looking chain.

Max nodded understanding, "Okay, so Luka and I will go back to 1995? Then I will take us to the temple to see if it's safe?"

Alix nodded, "That's the plan."

Marinette went to find Mininette and they all sat together in a pew and waited. 

Pegasus walked over to the group, "Ready."

Rabid Hare, looked at Mininette then at Pegasus, "Do not let go of the umbrella."

Pegasus looked at Mininette and nodded.

Mininette blushed, was her life to be a cautionary tale?

Rabid Hare spoke softly but firmly, "Burrow," and created a tunnel but unlike Bunnyx he swung the pocket watch on it's chain making a portal then pulled it back. It snapped as if it were magnetized into his hand, "See you in less than a second," he opened the umbrella and took Pegasus' hand placing it on the umbrella. "Let's go," he said and they both hopped into the portal.

Marinette turned to say something but Rabid Hare and Pegasus popped into existence exactly where they had left, only they were now shivering.

Mininette looked at the two cold men, "Chilly out?"

Pegasus grinned and began laughing while still rubbing his arms and hands together, "feeling better, are we?"

Mininette smiled, she shrugged.

Rabid Hare, "We learned," he paused and blew warm air into his hands, "you need to take a coat."

Alix rolled her eyes, so dramatic, "Was _ it _ there?

Pegasus shook his head. "But we have a problem, there's unrest in the area."

Adrien looked at his cellphone, "that's something _ we _ are going to have to help figure out some other time."

Marinette nodded, "if you guys think of any ideas, let us know, we have to get the kiddos."

Adrien looked at Alix, "For the record, I still think we should talk to Nathalie."

Alix nodded seriously, "Duly noted, and not dismissed. I _ think _ it's a good idea too but I don't _ know _ if it is. That's why I have to do some research and probably talk to some former Kits." 

Pegasus walked away from the group and walked back as Max, "actually if you three don't mind, I'll be leaving too, I have an early morning."

Mininette looked to Alix and Rabid Hare they both looked unworried.

Rabid Hare spoke up, "Can we all get back together again, tomorrow?"

Marinette looked at Adrien he shrugged, "I don't know, it depends on if someone can watch the kids."

Alix nodded, "Alright, let us know. Marinette?"

Marinette had been walking over to Mininette to hug and kiss her good bye and turned, "Yeah?"

Alix smiled, "Congratulations."

Marinette smiled, "Thanks." 

Everyone gave their goodbyes.

Alix and Mininette waited for Luka to go detransform while everyone left.

Marinette and Adrien walked home, they were fortunate enough to find a home between both their parents in the same building at Marinette's parents. When they got to the bakery only her father was awake and the boys were both yawning but 'not tired at all!'

When they walked through the door to their apartment Plagg and Tikki flew out as they usually did playing with the boys… but tonight. Marinette didn't want Tikki anywhere near her children,if she was being honest, she didn't want to be near her either. "Adrien?"

He was rough houseing with the boys letting Plagg egg him on ignoring Tikki who was telling the 4 of them that it was going excite them making it harder for them to sleep. "Princess?"

"Can you put the guys to bed, Tikki and I need to talk." 

Adrien didn't stop playing, neither did Plagg. Tikki however turned in surprise

"Sure, no problem. "Did you hear that? Mama said _ BED TIME! _"

_ "No! _"

_ "I'm not tired!" _

Adrien laughed and picked each of them up under his arms and carried them up the stairs, "No, one said you have to sleep! Just rest, with your head on your pillows, you know the rules, you can stay up. It's not my fault you always fall asleep. Let's get moving."

Both boys grumbled about tricks and not being tired.

Downstairs Marinette held her hand out palm up and waited until Tikki came and perched there. Without a word Marinette walked toward her office. Both of them had one, Adrien's was technically a music room but when something becomes not only your passion but your profession (not to mention when you put a desk in the room) the space becomes an office. Marinette's office resembled a cross of her old bedroom and Adrien's father (her mentor's) office. Half was recessed with adjustable dress forms exactly like her Gabriel's and a wall filled with sketches and pictures of her family the opposite side of the room was filled with swaths of fabric not really a sewing room more of a swatch area, where she would check if fabrics would work together in reality not just on a monitor. It was there at her work table that she let Tikki down and she sat at her chair.

Marinette took a deep breath and began. "A lie of omission is a lie nonetheless."

Tikki's cocky look from earlier was gone now. The look she gave Marinette was a cross between worry and irritation.

"We've been together for nearly 15 years, why didn't you tell me?"

"You're scared," Tikki said.

Marinette nodded, "I'm terrified, I don't want you near my family, I don't want you in Paris, I don't want you on my planet," she said softly.

Tikki looked surprised and hurt.

Marinette continued, "That's how I feel, but I have to remind myself, you only use your powers to help people."

Tikki sighed in relief.

"_ But _ ," Marinette continued, "Then again, what do I know? You aren't being entirely honest with me. Are you?" Marinette's tone turned angry, "So, how am I supposed to know? Are you doing what is best for everyone? How do _ you _ know, how do you _ choose _ what's best?"

Tikki swallowed and instead of flying she chose to walk across the table and put her little paws on Marinette's hands. "I know you're already scared, so I don't want to scare you anymore with my answer but... _ I _ don't. The ladybugs aren't part of me, they never have been, I wield them, just like Plagg can wield cataclysm, they're powers. And they're not really ladybugs, they're exactly like Plagg's cataclysm it's just from far away it looks like a cloud of beetles. It's not, it's just a red and black mass of energy."

Marinette became nauseated, "You have no control over it? Plagg at least can control cataclysm to a point!"

Tikki shrugged, "There was never a point in learning. No one has ever wanted devastation left behind. Plagg only bothered to learn because he didn't want to obliterate humanity."

Marinette leaned back in the chair, "I guess this makes sense to an extent. You-er they-or _ it- _Let's just call it, 'they' still. They are not fixing the mess, they're fixing mistakes in the timeline. Things that are not supposed to be damaged. That's why sometimes things are left behind, like when the hole Adrien punctured in my ear didn't go away."

Tikki nodded, "He needed to see it."

Marinette felt her left earlobe with it's two studds. Memories while still horrible now carried a small pieces of nostalgia. "Interesting, that's why Notre Dame couldn't be saved?"

Tikki shook her head, "Notre Dame was saved, just not by you."

"You know what I mean."

"_ I _ know what you mean. Do you know what I mean?" Tikki asked.

Marinette nodded, "Yes, the people of Paris and the world are capable without us. You're right, and you're also right in assuming I tend to forget. So does Adrien. Sometimes we get so caught up protecting we forget that they can do a lot for themselves."

Tikki looked unsure but she finally spoke up, "Marinette, do you feel safe with me?"

Marinette looked down at her, they'd been friends for years and while they'd had a few fights she trusted her. "Yes."

"Thank you, Marinette!" Tikki lunged forward and hugged Marinette's face. "Can I go help with the boys?" she asked hoping she wasn't pushing her luck, Marinette was really scared of her earlier.

Marinette nodded.

Tikki shot straight up through the ceiling. 

Marinette pulled out her phone and thumbed through her contacts, dialed, and waited while it rang then replied to Nathalie Agreste, "It's me, do you think you and Gabriel could watch the boys tomorrow evening?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, there are some mistakes in here, I went back to fix them but couldn't find them. Please excuse them until I have time to hunt them down..


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette asks Nathalie and Gabriel to watch her and Adrien's children. This entire story takes place (obviously) about 2 years before "Mortified, 15 years too late" so Emma hasn't been born. A little is explained about what happened after Hawkmoth was defeated and how it affected the family. Nathalie worries about if she should say anything about remembering being Mininette or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made some serious mistakes, this chapter was out of order before, and in two places. It is fixed. Happy reading.

2028 AD

The little girl screamed with laughter running up the stairs trying to get away from her father but kept looking behind her to make sure he kept chasing after her. She spun around and pretended to fall at the top of the stairs and held her arms up to her father asking to be picked up.

He did.

Nathalie rolled her eyes, "Don't pick her up," she said under her breath, then louder, "Gabriel, she can walk."

"Papa, I'm not tired, I don't want to go to sleep."

Gabriel looked down at Nathalie standing on the first floor in front of their shared office, "She fell."

Nathalie looked sternly at her daughter, "Estelle."

The little girl blushed prettily and kissed her father's cheek and whispered in his ear.

Gabriel pretended to be shocked, but he wasn't very good at it, "You didn't? You should be ashamed," he put her down but kissed the top of her head, "okay now go up, we'll be there in a minute, Duusu and Nooroo are already waiting."

Estelle looked at her mother, "Maman? Are you mad?"

Nathalie who'd been distracted for the past week, looked up to her daughter and shook her head, "No, it was naughty tricking Papa, but I'm not mad." Nathalie made her way up the stairs and hugged her daughter. "Maman has to finish up some work and we'll read you a story together sound fun?"

Estelle nodded.

Nathalie turned to Gabe who stood behind her looking at his cellphone already disengaged. "Alright, I'll be up in a few minutes," then the phone rang. "See! Someone already needs Maman!" 

Estelle giggled watching her mother stand and pull her phone out of her pocket, "someone always needs Maman," she said going to her room.

Nathalie blew her a kiss and answered, "Gabriel Brand. Oh! Tomorrow?" Nathalie walked down the stairs and turned to look up at Gabriel, that's what she thought, it was happening now. They'd always been so careful to never tell her the dates but she'd figured it out based on Alix's pregnancy. She walked to her office and sat in her chair and looked at her tablet's calendar. She had a meeting to touch base with their accountant but she could put that off, they had a call from their cotton importer in Bangladesh, she could move the call around with Mrs. Bihari. "That should be fine."

"Thanks so much. You know we like family to watch them as a first choice."

Nathalie smiled, she did, and she appreciated that Marinette and Adrien had forgiven them, especially Gabriel. They had been with him every step of his incarceration, literally and figuratively. Ladybug and Chat Noir had put him behind bars but Marinette and Adrien were there for every family therapy session. When the time came they were very honest about whether they felt he was ready to rejoin society and when he was first evaluated. Years later with a calm mind she could agree, he had not been, but at the time she couldn't understand why no one else could not see he was ready to join her. Nathalie cleared her throat, "So, what plans do you two have?"

Marinette's voice went up an octave, "Oh, a date."

Nathalie shook her head, it was amazing this woman was competently running a company when she couldn't lie. "Oh? We went to the bakery with Estelle today and Sabine and Tom said you were on a date tonight."

Marinette cleared her throat, "uh, um, well, we didn't get finished so that's why we were hoping we could finish tomorrow."

Nathalie hummed her understanding. "Mmhmm. Well then it will be no problem."

Marinette sighed in relief that she wasn't getting grilled and changed the subject. "Have you decided on public school or homeschool?"

Nathalie sighed, "Gabriel won't allow us to homeschool her," Nathalie felt her chest tighten, the idea of sending a 3 year old to school shouldn't bother her, she spent part of her day with an au pair anyway but at least Nathalie could see her anytime she wanted. 

"I had to fight Adrien quite a bit to homeschool the boys until they were done clinging. She'll be okay Nathalie, she's the exact opposite of Hugo you know."

Nathalie smiled, she really was, even in looks, her daughter would no doubt look like her mother and aunt except with dark brown hair instead of bluish black hair while her nephew looked like he was taking after her husband and beau-fils. As big as he was he clung to Marinette and Adrien and hid behind them whenever someone even looked at him. Which happened often even though they'd all tried to shield the children from the paparazzi. Meanwhile Estelle loved attention, even twirling for them whenever she wore something new from Marinette's "Petites Taches" (Little Spots) line of girl's clothing. She was a natural model Nathalie mentally snorted remembering how much Adrien hated modeling as a teen. Who knew where he'd gotten it from. While Nathalie had been thinking the line had been silent with the pause in conversation and it had become an uncomfortable silence. 

Nathalie had been deciding if she should say something about her history? What if she were wrong and her younger self hadn't come yet. What if they were supposed to make a mistake. What if she had forgotten things, was supposed to forget things.

"Nathalie?"

"Uh, yes?"

"I'm going to go, tell everyone we said good night, send our love."

"Yes, of course, it's getting late, Gabriel is already upstairs with Estelle. Send our love. Goodbye," she pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the picture of Marinette and was about to push the phone button but instead yelled, " _ Marinette!?" _

_ " _ Yes?" came a tinny voice.

Nathalie took a deep breath, "December 8th 1994," she said and hurriedly pushed the end button on her phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments drive me to write.
> 
> Feel free to visit my phoenixplume117.tumblr.com


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath of knowledge. A little GabeNath and a hint of what happened a few years back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick notes  
"Mon Biquet" my lamb  
"Mon Ourson" my bear cub  
"Mon Ours" my bear
> 
> "Belle-Mère" Is the name for both a step mother or a mother-in-law so Marinette and Adrien would both refer to Nathalie that way. 
> 
> For anyone who wants to hear "Au Clair De Lune" / "By the light of the moon" here's the address https://youtu.be/-D-t0zSo0f8 Short personal story, when I was little my father and mother used to sing Frère Jacques to me. When I went to school I learned "Brother John" and thought it was neat how it was the same tune until I learned it was the same song. It was one of my first experiences with being raised with multiple Languages. My son answers "bitte schön" to anything unfamiliar, guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

2028 AD

Marinette stared straight ahead, if someone were to look at her they might have thought she was looking out the window but she was actually staring at the casement. _ Actually _ that's just where her eyes were pointing her eyes weren't focused on anything at all. Her mind was completely focused on what she had just heard from her Belle-Mère, 'December 8th 1994'. 

Marinette shook off her daze and hurriedly opened her personal note app on her phone and put the date in for tomorrow's meeting. She turned her phone and the lights off and went upstairs to find the boys in the last stages of getting in bed.

Hugo, at 3 years, was already laying on his pillow, his sandy brown hair fluffed up like a poofy crown and his bright blue eyes glittering with delight seeing his mother walk into the room.

Louis, at 2 years, was sitting up and bouncing, "I wanna pick the story!" 

Adrien was at the bookshelf reaching for one of her old books.

Marinette laughed and sat down next to Louis ruffling his ash brown curls.

Tikki giggled taking the sting out of her next words, "Sorry Louis, it's Hugo's turn."

Adrien turned to his shy son, "Mon Biquet, what'll it be tonight?"

Hugo snuggled sleepily into his blankets but still excitedly said, "Babar!"

Adrien pulled the book down.

Louis stood up in his bed, "Papa! Sit on my bed! My bed, Papa!"

Adrien tucked Louis back in for the third time that night, "Yes, it's your turn for Papa to read on your bed, Mon Ours," Adrien replied then began reading their story.

When the boys were almost asleep Marinette stood up and gave them their kisses while Adrien read, then went to their room and got ready for bed herself.

Adrien walked into their room a few minutes later.

"Both asleep?" Marinette said in front of their bathroom mirror just finished brushing her teeth.

"Yep. Can Father and Nathalie take care of them tomorrow?" he asked walking behind her wrapping his arms around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head and resting his palms on her abdomen looking into her reflection's eyes.

Marinette whose hand had face creme in it paused looking back at him. They didn't have very many moments like this anymore. "Yeah," she said on a sigh, then leaned back snuggling in, "we'll talk about it in bed," then she began rubbing the creme into her face until Adrien kissed the top of her head and pulled away taking the hint and began getting ready for bed himself. She kissed his cheek then turned to go change for bed but not before he grabbed her butt. "Hey, handsy, if you hurry you might get lucky!" she said laughing.

He hurried changed and hopped into bed thinking he'd find an excited wife but found a pensive one instead. "Hey? What's wrong?"

"When I called, Nathalie, she said it would be no problem." 

"That's great."

"She asked what we were doing, it was just conversation, not rude, I told her we were going on a date."

He nodded, propping himself up, this was obviously not going to be a quick story.

"She said she and Gabriel had been to the bakery and my parents told them we'd been on a date tonight."

"Okay?"

"So, I told her we needed to finish some stuff. She said it wouldn't be a problem."

"I don't see the problem, why do you seem upset?"

"Before I could hang up she said, "December 8th 1994."

Adrien didn't say anything. 

"So, I think we have our date."

"I guess so."

"But I agree with you now, maybe we should ask her to help."

Nathalie hung up her phone looking at it as if it had made the bad decision, not her. What if she'd misjudged? What if she hadn't come yet? She supposed it would be only a few weeks at most before she came if she wasn't already here. She ran her hands through her hair and stood up feeling a jittery energy. She gathered her phone and tablet turned off the lights and made her way to her daughter's room. Before she opened the door she could hear Dusuu.

"No, Gabriel, you have to use voices!"

"_ Oui Papa!," _Estelle agreed.

Nathalie smiled and shook her head, Gabriel had many skills and he liked story telling but he didn't read with voices, or sing or do anything special. He just enjoyed doing things for his princess. She opened the door to give him an ally and found their daughter tucked in hair brushed and put up with Gabriel sitting on the bed with a book Dusuu over seeing it with a frustrated look on her face. 

Gabriel looked up with relief, "Mama can read it with voices!"

Estelle shook her curly pig tails, "Papa read!"

Gabriel continued the story until it was over.

Estelle looked at Nathalie, "Mama sing!"

Nathalie began singing _ Clair de Lune _ and watched her daughter's eyes droop. As she sang she held her daughter's hand, a habit she'd kept since she'd been an infant gripping her finger in a tight fist. She leaned over and kissed her cheek and when she leaned back Gabriel was behind her and kissed her temple. When the song was over Estelle was asleep, Gabriel kissed Estelle's brow and they walked out kwami's following going wherever they roamed. As Gabriel and Nathalie dressed for bed she noticed he had stopped dying his hair grey making him immediately look younger. She reminded herself to tell him after telling him what she'd done. When she joined him in bed he was flicking through a Chinese interior decorating magazine. 

He looked up putting the magazine down with an expression she wasn't familiar with, "we need to talk," he said before she had the opportunity to say anything.

"I-I was, I was about to say the same thing, she said uncomfortably.

Gabriel pulled her over and held her, "What?" he wasn't a fan of wasting time. If there was a problem, the faster you analyized it the faster if got fixed.

"Marinette asked us to watch the boys tomorrow."

"No problem," he said.

Nathalie sighed, "Adrien's bandmate's wife is pregnant."

Gabriel nodded not understanding. He wasn't stupid, he just didn't know, Alix had been pregnant when Nathalie had been a teen in 2028. She took a deep breath, "When I came out of the timeline they never told me _ when _ it was but I do know that Alix was pregnant, that's all I know, and it was summer. That's really all I knew or understood at the time. Marinette and Adrien came nearly everyday to figure out where and when to place me. At that time I didn't know that would be a clue. Now I do. They never leave the boys with strangers."

Understanding dawned on Gabriel's face, "Today they were with her parents, tomorrow they want us to watch them."

She nodded, "And Alix is pregnant. I'm here, I'm almost sure of it. Anyway, I told them the date to send me back."

Gabriel nodded.

Nathalie let out the breath she'd been holding, "you think it was a good idea?"

He nodded, "Why not? Better than them sending you the wrong place or time."

She bit her lip. "I only told them when."

He frowned, "we met because of the place."

She nodded. How awkward she'd went from madly in love with Adrien to madly in love with Gabriel. Truly proving she did _ not _ have the same soul as the original Marinette especially when Dusuu told her they were most definitely partners. When Gabriel and Emilie had found her she'd been shocked, he had looked like a college student, only a few years older than her traveling with who she had assumed was his beautiful mother. Unfortunately, that was the problem, Emilie had been searching for a way to stay as young as her much older husband. "You can tell Adrien tomorrow."

"Why not you, it's your history."

She shook her head, "I feel like I've done enough damage."

"You think we should leave it alone?"

She nodded, "I don't want to, but I think we should," she leaned out of his arms reached for her water and took a drink then sat up. "I truly believe we're meant to be together, that will happen no matter what, if they drop me into Dusseldorf, we'll find each other." 

Gabriel rubbed her thigh over the blankets, "If you're sure. But if they ask, we should cooperate."

"Agreed," she said sliding deeper into the blankets and into his arms. "Now, your turn."

Gabriel leaned back leaving his arm under her shoulders. "I can't stay here anymore."

"I've been needing a vacation myself," she said hoping that's what he meant.

"I mean," Gabriel said looking at the sky through the skylight over their bed. "My friends are in their 60's and I look like I just graduated college,"

"When you don't wear makeup, or dye your hair."

"When Adrien came over we were in front of a mirror together, we look like brothers. Gabriel Agreste, is going to have to quietly retire and die."

Nathalie knew this was coming, to be honest it should have happened years ago but he'd been in prison, he'd been lucky no one had figured out something was wrong then. 

"So what is your plan?"

Gabriel handed her the magazine he'd been reading, "China."

Nathalie snorted, "Figures." She flicked through the magazine, "And you want to be an interior designer?"

He shrugged, "Why not?"

She tossed the magazine over the side of the bed and leaned up to kiss him, "Mmmhmm, do you know how much work it will take to let you retire let alone let you die? You owe me."

He told the security system to engage and turn off the lights, then kissed her back under the silvery light of the moon shining through the skylight "I promise to make it up to you."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette go to his father's home to drop off the boys and Gabriel tells them how he and Emelie found Mininette. Marinette coerces Nathalie into doing something she doesn't feel she deserves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mamè-an uncommon name french children call their grandmothers
> 
> Dede-Turkish for grandfather, eventually I'll post the part of the story where Gabriel spent a chunk of his life in Turkey. (This story line has a lot going on)
> 
> December 8 is International Time Traveler day! 
> 
> Marinette choosing to have people from poor communities around the world was not my idea. It was a beautiful idea that was thought up by the now deceased designer Kate Spade - https://www.elle.com/fashion/a10627/fashion-designer-news-kate-spade-384746/ 
> 
> The story always stuck with me and I thought, what a simple solution, the clothes already cost so much for hardly any reason at all, why not give just a little bit to people who have so little. Especially since my husband is a refugee from that war.

Adrien woke up and quietly crept to the bathroom letting Marinette sleep as he showered and prepared for the day. He looked into the boys room seeing them both sleeping. He went to Mari's office and checked on the suppliers who had yet to deliver Marinette's cotton. He called his contacts to see why the shipments hadn't been picked up from the village knitters, lacemakers or embroiderers in the various villages Marinette had hired. By the time he had finished his business calls an hour had passed and he rushed out the door to Marinette's parents'.

"Adrien!" Tom yelled from behind the counter over the bakery, filled with patrons.

Adrien smiled and waved at his beau-père, "Tom!" It was times like these where he didn't take his height for granted. He was grateful for it he thought as he waded through the crowd to the counter. Many customers shooting dirty looks his way but just as many saying their hellos or sighing over the famous former model now musician.

Sabine smiled and held a large paper bag to him, "you're here late. Did inspiration hit?"

He flushed and shook his head, "Our drivers are having problems getting to the ladies in 3 of Mari's villages."

Sabine frowned, she'd been proud of Marinette's decision to make a social change by having people (usually women) who had no other means of income available to them make the lace for her clothes. Over the years the project bloomed and now the "lace houses," made knitted goods, embroidered and did various other hand work that most designers used machines for. Adrien went over the numbers and said that it made no difference in cost from some countries and little in others. The social impact however, was innumerable. As for Marinette, DC Fashion had become instantly famous, and not for being Gabriel Agreste's pet project. "What's causing the problems?"

Adrien looked at her seriously, "The usual, the gangs want a cut of the money in two locations. In the other the government is trying to force us to pay them to utilize their services. They worded so offensively it sounds like they're prostitutes," he said opening the bag and finding,  _ oh, yeah,  _ ** _gold_ ** a chausson aux pommes, he took a bite out of it.

Sabine tried to frown up at him but failed and walked over to get a replacement pastry, "Are you sure you're not the one having a baby?"

He smiled endearingly down to her quickly chewing so he could answer her, as he patted his hard abs, "Oui, Belle-Mère, I am expecting. I'm just not going to lose this beautiful body."

Sabine threw the towel that was dangling from her apron pocket at him and laughed, "Don't let her hear you say that!"

He leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, "Never! I value my life," he said smiling.

"Shoo, naughty boy, and kiss my little boys."

He waved over his shoulder, "I will, bye! Good bye Tom!"

"Have a good day!" his father in law replied.

He gently pushed through the crowd and made his way back down the street to his home. When he opened the door the scent of coffee greeted him. He walked into the kitchen finding Marinette's hair greeting him. She was facedown in her arms, likely asleep again.

"Are you awake?"

A chipper voice came from the sleeping ball of hair, "Oui! I'm almost done!"

He laughed, "Mari, you're not even doing anything, wake up."

She whined and groaned turning her head on her arms, "Made you coffee."

He leaned over and kissed her cheek, "I love you for it."

" _ I _ can't have coffee," she grumbled, irritably.

He reached into the bag pulling out a chausson aux pommes and a pain aux raisins, "I got you somethings," he said with a smile.

Without moving she rolled her eyes up to his hands then sprung up with a smile grabbing both sweets, "Oh," she moaned in bliss, "But how can I make up my mind?!" She looked up at him.

She walked over to the cutting board and cut the apple tart in half and untwirled the raisin bread and tore it. "I figured it out."

He laughed, "I never doubted you for a moment," he said kissing the top of her head where a part used to be when she had bangs but now her hair was just long and wavy everywhere. "Are the boys still sleeping?"

She shook her head, "They're in the playroom, still in their pajamas, I'm a terrible mother," She said setting herself off.

Adrien knew where this was going, after two pregnancies he knew the signs. "You're fantastic, look how great they're turning out."

"That's because of you!" she argued.

He couldn't argue that, but she was an awesome mother, "I am pretty great," he smiled at her snort, and continued, "but you're amazing, you always make sure to spend time with them and even when you are at your busiest you have  _ never _ missed bedtime," he reminded her.

She nodded feeling a little reassured, "Sometimes it's really hard, you know?"

He nodded, "I know, and while they don't understand, they know too. They think you're the best Mama in the whole world. They think you're better than Ladybug."

She elbowed him, "Shut up."

He laughed at her. "I'll get the boys ready to go to Mame and Dede's"

Marinette nodded her thanks and poured herself some milk then pointed to her nose to tell him he was brilliant. He nodded and kissed her cheek and left the room. However he was not an all together altruistic man so he snatched what was left of the pain aux raisins and rushed through the doorway and down the hall laughing at Marinette's calls of, 'Thief!'

Once he got to the playroom he saw the boys playing with trucks, Hugo was transporting blocks from one side of the room to the other to make something while Louis was crashing them into each other. At least they weren't fighting. "Alright, let's get ready, we are going on a trip!"

The boys ran to him both ready to be carried, he picked them up and shuttled them to their room. 

Tikki was already there fussing over what outfits were 'the most appropriate for the boys in this heat,' while hopping from hanger to hanger in the wardrobe.

"Tikki, I'm sure their shorts and tank tops will be fine," he said reaching for them.

She shook her head, "They could get sun burns, I was watching on TV and you can get cancer from that, did you know that? I thought you only got cancer from smoking! Isn't that why-"

He shot her a dirty look.

"Uh, isn't that interesting?" she said.

He nodded, "It certainly is," pulling pajamas off of Hugo who looked a little too interested in the conversation for Adrien's comfort. "There are a lot of ways people can get cancer, and most can't even be prevented, but we always wear our sunscreen, don't we Gogo?"

Hugo smiled broadly and nodded hard, and answered his father in Japanese, "Hai, Hai!"

Adrien laughed with surprise, "Oooh! Nice!"

Hugo bowed with a broad smile and said in English, "Thank you."

"Did you learn that in school?"

"'Thank you?' No, Sophie," he said as if his father were stupid.

Adrien ignored that, he didn't bother teaching his kids English, the world would do that, he taught them Japanese, Chinese and other languages that they weren't going to learn in school. Sabine was great for Chinese too except some of her phrases were a bit dated.  _ A bit. _ After Hugo was fully dressed he gently pushed him to the door, "Mama has a surprise in the kitchen, go eat." 

Hugo ran for the door.

Adrien looked at Louis who had brought two trucks with him from the play room. "Are you ready M. Ours?"

Louis' face lit up and he nodded, holding his arms up for Adrien to pull his clothes off and put his new ones on. "Papa, do I get a surprise too?"

"Of course, a bear sized one!" he replied as he coated him in sunscreen. "Alright, you're all done too! Go see mama!" Once Louis had joined his brother Adrien hung his pajamas up and picked up Hugo's underwear and Louis' diaper and turned to Tikki, "Tikki, you can't let kids know their parents used to smoke, that's not okay."

"Sorry," she said with true remorse.

"It's okay, can you go find Plagg, we've got to drop the kids off then go to Luka's."

She nodded then zipped away.

"Geez, it's a good thing I never did drugs or lead a life of crime," he muttered as he put things away and walked into the kitchen to relieve Marinette so she could change.

Once Marinette descended the stairs they all headed out the doors and walked to the Agreste mansion. When they got there the gate was closed but the boys easily squeezed through the bars and ran to their tiny aunt who was playing in the yard with her father. Adrien typed in the code and the iris scanner popped up to check him before the gate granted them entrance.

"Father, don't you think that's a little ridiculous, considering the boys just slid through the bars?" Adrien said in lieu of greetings.

Gabriel shrugged, "Show me thieves and paparazzi that are 2 and 3 and I'll disengage it," he stood up and patted the grass off his backside then leaned down to kiss Marinette's cheeks then his sons.

Marinette was looking around but Adrien got straight to the point, "We were hoping to talk to Nathalie."

Gabriel smiled, "She is feeling," he tipped his hand back and forth, "right now. I can help you."

Marinette looked at him and frowned, then gasped, "You knew!"

Gabriel nodded once, "Of course I knew. She's my wife."

Adrien frowned feeling once again, not quite right about the whole situation.

Gabriel watched Estelle and the boys chase after a bouncing toy and turned to Adrien with a frown, "Stop right now, she's never felt anything for you other than motherly affection. She is  _ not _ Marinette."

Marinette decided to intervene, "Will she speak to us about it if we need help?"

Gabriel shrugged, "She's afraid she already has done too much."

Marinette looked up to Adrien, "I hadn't thought of that."

He shrugged, "Only Alix would know."

Marinette shook her head, "She can't enter the den, and Luka, it's not  _ his." _ She said emphasising Luka's lack of knowledge vs Alix's extreme surplus of knowledge in the den and time tunnels.

Adrien looked at his father, "What about you? What do you know?"

Gabriel smiled, "She told me you'd ask. What do you want to know?"

Adrien looked surprised, "Where, what do we send with her, anything useful."

Gabriel frowned, if he screwed this up everything would be lost. He took a deep breath, "You have to let her choose these things herself but I'm telling you so you know if the timeline is falling in line properly, do you understand?" 

The couple nodded.

Gabriel walked over to the Au Pair who was watching the children on the side of the house, "Ines, I'm going inside, please do not allow the children to disturb us or Mme. Agreste."

"Oui, M. Agreste," the Au Pair said then walked over to the children and produced chalk seemingly from thin air. Adrien watched with fascination as his children and little sister were allowed to color on the stone around the house. A major infraction when he was a child, who were the people living here?!

Gabriel led the couple up the stairs and into the family room, apparently Nathalie  _ really _ did not want to see them. Gabriel looked at Marinette, "Water? Tea? Juice?"

"Ah, juice?" she said and he walked away.

Adrien frowned at his father's back, then turned to Marinette, "Am I not here?"

She giggled and pointed at her flat stomach, "You're not pregnant, go get your own juice."

He grumbled and sat next to Marinette. "It doesn't matter." 

Gabriel returned with a tray that had two bottles and six glasses, he poured Marinette juice then sat down and motioned to the tray for Adrien to help himself.

Marinette smiled behind the rim of her glass as Adrien poured some mineral water into a glass, then leaned back, "You were telling us about Mininette."

Gabrielle burst into loud laughter, he wiped his eyes, "Mininette! Is that what you call her?"

At first neither Adrien nor Marinette really understood why the nickname was so funny, it came from Marinette obviously.

"You realize she will grow into the woman in the other room, does she seem like a 'Mininette' to you?" Gabriel said making quotes with his fingers when he said the name.

Adrien shrugged but it was Marinette who answered, "She's not that woman yet."

Gabriel still cleared his throat allowing his mirth to fade and nodded, "That's very true. Ah, well, let's see she chose the name Mirai Chime, she said she looked it up before she left, it was Tibetian and meant 'A Future Everlasting.' If she doesn't pick that name then something has happened to change the timeline." 

Marinette noticed for the first time her partner didn't look as calm as he was trying to seem as the foot dangling from the leg crossed over his knee constantly bobbed and his fingers seemed to claw at the arm of the delicate chair he was sitting in. She realized he was scared, "Um, what happens if-"

"Everything changes," he said quietly, "She's  _ everything. _ "

Adrien who'd been attentive seemed confused, "What do you mean."

"Without Nathalie,  _ you  _ would not exist," Gabriel said with hushed seriousness.

Adrien looked at his father with shock then to the door, then a horrible realization came over him and he turned to his wife who's skin had taken on a decidedly sick pale color between blue and green.

Gabriel noticed their obvious distress and corrected them, "You're not her son!" The couple's looks of relief was nearly palpable and would have been humorous if not for the gravity of the topic, "but if she hadn't given Emelie, Nooroo she was 45, but she was an actress and made to feel like she was 60 at work. Then she would come home-"

Marinette finished for him, "And you looked 30?"

He frowned and shrugged, "I had started dying my hair already but, it didn't matter and back then grey hair color looked like garbage. Worse yet, I hadn't changed in all the time she'd known me. She'd met me as a teenager in the 60's when she was younger than me but in the 80's she started looking older and in the 90's she started getting offered parts as grandmothers. She had always wanted children but she kept saying, 'next year' suddenly her next years were fading but mine weren't and she became crazed with the need to find a way to stay young. The only thing I could think of was to find the mythical miraculous that Argus told me about. So we packed everything up and went to Tibet. When we got there, there she was, this little Chinese, French speaking girl. She said she'd been in an accident and couldn't remember anything but her parents had died in the fire. Your mother and her were instant friends, personally I think it had to do with acting, they both knew they weren't telling the whole truth but knew they weren't going to hurt the other… well, anyway. Once your mother came to grips with the idea there were no miraculous nor Shangri-la we prepared to leave but she told me she couldn't leave Mirai and I agreed." Gabriel looked to the door with a faraway look remembering the first few difficult years. "Emelie invited her to come back with us and of course she came but she chose the name Nathalie Sancoeur, she's very poetic, you know. We found her on Christmas."

Adrien nearly snorted, Nathalie, poetic? In what universe? "And sancoeur?"

Gabriel shook his head, "If you can't figure it out then too bad," he reached forward and patted Adrien on the head as if he were still five, much to the man's chagrin. "Once we got home she knew her way around the house. Which now, makes sense, Marinette would come over with your other friends, but then, I didn't think anything of it. Argus did though, he noticed everything, I just didn't listen. A few months after living with us she explained the miraculous and gave us Duusu and Nooroo. Over the next year your mother seemed to  _ grow _ younger for lack of a better term. She was 51 when you were born, if we hadn't met  _ you _ wouldn't have been born."

Marinette nodded, getting Mininette to the right place and time was exceptionally important. "So, the temple?"

Gabriel stood nodding, "The temple and she already provided the date correct?"

Adrien stood and replied, "December 8, 1994."

Marinette stood nodding and followed the men to the door when Gabriel opened it the sound of Natalie's tapping heels rushing back to the office were obvious and she smiled. Gabriel led them back out but Marinette stopped before exiting and walked to the office door and knocked softly once the Agreste men left the manor. "Nathalie?"

After a long silence a soft but tight, "Yes?" came through the door.

"I'm coming in," Marinette said pushing the door handle and walking in the room to find Nathalie uncharacteristically  _ hiding _ behind her computer. "Nathalie?" Marinette asked shyly.

Nathalie, looked at her screen, the invoice blurring before her, her nerves had been raw all morning but this was pushing her over the breaking point. She cleared her throat, "Yes?"

Marinette sat in the seat on the other side of Nathalie's desk refusing to be ignored, they easily had the most dysfunctional family in history this was just one more chapter, Marinette smiled and opened her mouth to say those exact words when Nathalie abruptly moved from behind her computer and she gasped in shock. She never noticed because she hadn't been told but now with the knowledge looking at Nathalie was like looking in a mirror. 

Nathalie immediately went from offensive to defensive with her hand clasping her wrist at her waist, she didn't even look at Marinette when she asked, "So does Adrien have any new fans?"

Marinette snorted at the ridiculousness of the question then burst into laughter, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said but couldn't stop laughing but fortunately the laughter seemed to comfort Nathalie who relaxed and sat in her chair. Marinette's laughter subsided into soft chuckles, "Yes, as usual, you are correct. She or you I guess arrived yesterday. So we're really…?" she left it hanging.

Nathalie shrugged, "I think sisters is the best explanation."

Marinette smiled, "I kind of like it, you've been looking out for me for a long time."

Nathalie smiled, "There's a reason for that."

Marinette smiled sadly, "I know you didn't want to talk to us but, this is your life, and hasn't it been a secret long enough?"

Nathalie shrugged again, "Gabriel knows, he's known forever, it was only hard when Emelie was alive. I didn't want to be that girl…" Nathalie looked down at her legs through the glass of her desk, "I was young and no one understood except him and I loved him. It was terrible. He put up with me, but suddenly he was never home to avoid me and he found all these international universities to send me away. He never betrayed his wife, of course I was just a kid 18 or 19 but he never responded to anything I tried. When I graduated I went to England, to this day I have no idea how I managed the grades I had with the life I had."

Marinette was shocked by the story unfolding from Nathalie's mouth. She just nodded understanding the woman had never had someone to speak with.

"It started out as typical college partying but people make assumptions based on the way we look," she said shrugging.

Marinette nodded remembering Nathalie had been very much into the goth and punk revival movement of the late 90s and early 2000s, she looked at the tiny dimples at her twins eyebrows, nose and lip where her old piercings had grown closed. 

"One party someone helped me make the decision about whether I wanted drugs or not for me. After that I figured, 'since I have already why not,' I know now that makes no sense but then-,"

Marinette blushed and held her hand up, "I get it. And it's okay."

Nathalie smiled weakly, "Thanks. I'm not making excuses, my history is riddled with bad choices. It's really no wonder I ended up a villain."

"You were a villain because you were still the guardian."

Nathalie blushed, "Mmm, that may have influenced me a bit, but had I been a guardian of any quality I would have taken Nooroo away from Gabriel. I couldn't do anything for Duusu without revealing the time jump which I could not do but at the end of the day you can't say I was a good guardian."

Marinette shook her head, "Let's agree to call you a mediocre guardian."

Nathalie smiled with amusement, "I'll agree to that."

"And it was you who told me how to disarm him."

Nathalie inhaled slowly and deeply, "I know you think I should be proud of that, but at the end of the day, I put the man I love in prison for years. Also, she doesn't know how it happens only that she does it. Don't tell her what I did."

Marinette nodded and reached across the desk offering her hand, Nathalie looked at it but still kept her hands below the desk, "Nathalie, what about Mama and Papa?"

Nathalie shrugged, "Mine are in a different timeline."

Marinette cocked her head to the side, "Did you talk to Alix about that? Is that how time works?"

Nathalie looked at the wall where a Christmas painting of their families hung with Emelie as the Angel tree topper. The painting had gone up for Estelle and Louis' first Christmas and had never been taken down. "No, but can you imagine me walking in and saying, 'Papa, I missed you, I've missed you for over 30 years," she said and her voice broke as her eyes filled and she tried to laugh it off as she wiped her eyes before the tears could fall. "And can you imagine Mama? She would die! She'd never believe it."

Marinette realized Nathalie didn't know, she had found out when she was 19 but Nathalie had been 'born' when they were 17. But Gabriel had figured it out, hadn't he told her? "Nathalie, Mama used to be the Ladybug in China."

Nathalie's eyes snapped to Marinette who was nodding, "She told me when I was 19 and had started dating Adrien, well I didn't know it was Adrien, but you know." 

She did, she'd figured out a lot based on the depression he'd gone through when Marinette went away to school, coupled with the new Ladybug while Marinette had been gone. It didn't take a genius, but apparently it did since no one else in Paris seemed to realize the Gabriel model and Kitty Section 'kitten' was also another famous Parisien kitten, including his own father. Thankfully those days were over. Nathalie nodded her head, "But, she never, Fu never said."

"I don't think he knew, he was too young to actually know the chosen."

Nathalie shook her head drawing in on herself, "No, I can't, what would they say after all this time? It would be cruel."

Marinette shook her head, "It would be cruel not to tell them."

"Only if they somehow found out," Nathalie said narrowing her eyes at Marinette.

Marinette brought her hand to her chest in a gesture of innocence, "They would never find out by accident," she said, "you know how careful Adrien and I are with secrets." Nathalie relaxed she was sure it was a trick but no, Marinette- "I will tell them intentionally if you won't."

Nathalie gave her a nasty grimace, "You really are my little sister aren't you?"

Marinette stood up and laughed, "You wish, I'm your  _ big _ sister."

Nathalie rolled her eyes, "Yes, with so much life experience. Alright, I'll tell them."

Marinette shook her head, "No,  _ we'll _ tell them. If time went in a straight line you are my twin aren't you?"

Nathalie nodded.

Marinette shook her head with a big smile, "It's so completely ridiculous it's wonderful."

Nathalie shrugged, "Now, but think about how she feels."

Marinette's smile faded, from Nathalie's creation she'd been alone, "Why did you choose Sancoeur?"

Nathalie blushed, "When I met Adrien I didn't feel anything for him, sure he was a handsome man but there was no lingering crush. The day Gabriel walked into the temple it was like my heart leapt out of my body and ran to him. I never had a heart, he had it."

Marinette loaded with pregnancy hormones felt tears trickle down her cheeks, "He's right, you are poetic."

Natalie rolled her eyes, " _ He's _ biased."

Marinette sniffed, "But that's so beautiful! I feel like I want to know you so much more. When we were pregnant with Louis and Estelle we got close but once work picked up again we stopped going out."

"Okay, I'd like to go out with you again too, especially now that you're coercing me into telling Mama and Papa."

"Who  _ are _ your Mama and Papa."

Nathalie nodded, "I think so."

"What was it like meeting me?"

Nathalie shook her head and pointed to the door, "Out, there is a scared young girl who needs you to send her far away so her prince charming can find her and tell her she can't have him."

Marinette smiled, "You got him in the end though."

Nathalie nodded sadly, "I miss Emmie too though. I often feel like I stole her husband," marinette tried to speak but Nathalie waved her hand and spoke over her, "I  _ know _ I didn't but I  _ feel _ that way, a lot. I tried so hard to fix this family, I was willing to die to fix this family because I believed I didn't belong, even though Alix and Luka constantly told me I did. I never really did believe it in my soul, not until Estelle. When the doctor handed me all my restrictions, I realized, maybe Alix was right, I was supposed to be here."

"I don't know what took you so long," Marinette grumbled.

"Guilt, I let go, I wanted gabriel even though he and Em were married, maybe not happily but," she shrugged, "I left the last two miraculous that I was in charge of and went to America. I did so many things I had plenty of guilt."

Marinette looked down at her, "Do you still feel that way?"

She shook her head, "Hardly ever."

"You shouldn't ever feel that way."

"Oh? You never have anxiety attacks? Fear, guilt, anxiety these emotions don't have to make sense. We just feel them and if you love the person you accept them."

Marinette nodded.

Nathalie stood, "Now go, Mininette needs you."

"Are you coming?"

She shook her head, "No, I never met me."

Marinette nodded and smiled, "you know it seems silly but when I was younger I wanted to look like you…" she shook her head.

Nathalie smiled, "You always have, get out of here," she said walking around her desk to kiss Marinette on the cheeks for the first time Marinette noticed the freckles were a mirror image of her own.

Marinette walked out closing the door and walked out of the house finding the Agreste men playing with Estelle who had apparently worn her nephews out and they needed a juice break with Ines.

"Mari!" Estelle yelled, launching herself at her sister-in-law.

Gabriel ran after her and caught her, and reminded her not to do that with Marinette.

Marinette laughed and told him she was fine and snuggled the little girl, and realized she was her niece. It seemed Adrien and she would never be entitled to the fabled 'normal life'. She nodded and agreed with Estelle's assessment of boys not being able to do anything the right way but explained to her that her Papa and brother were useful boys. Estelle seemed to agree and gave Adrien a goodbye hug and kiss.

Gabriel kissed Marinette on the cheek and asked about Nathalie.

Marinette smiled, "She's fine, we're going to visit our parents this week."

Both men looked surprised but Marinette didn't feel like having a discussion about it so she pulled Adrien's arm toward the gate. He waved to his father and their sons as Marinette called over her shoulder, "Bye boys! Mama loves you!"

  
  



	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group gets together and starts making plans for their trip to the past for Mininette's permanent relocation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All information about the years is true. 
> 
> De Beers did control diamond pricing almost perfectly appreciating diamons at roughly 14% every year making them $14,000 a carrat in 1994 now they're nearly $30,000 still a better deal than the gold difference VVS2 are not perfect diamonds but they're popular in mall diamonds. The price of gold in in 1994 was around $350 an oz compared to over $1500 now. There was a movie a few years back about some guys who literally scammed the world and lowered the price of gold in the early 90s by lying about finding a massive vein of gold. As a Pakistani I vividly remember all the Aunties buying gold jewelry at cheap prices. By the time it came out there was no new vein the old gold companies had lost billions from selling their gold cheap.

On the way back to the houseboat Marinette stopped by her parent's for some sweets for Mininette and the Couffaines and they were back on their way. Thankfully the bakery was still busy so there was no time to talk to her parents. When they got to the pier they were surprised to find Mininette sitting on the deck with a book on her lap.

"Hey," Adrien called out.

She waved getting up, "Hey."

Marinette walked down the stairs to the door first and saw the sad look on the girl's face, "What's wrong?"

Mininette smiled a phony smile, "nothing."

Marinette frowned and pushed Adrien ahead to the door, "Go," then pointed to Mininette, "You stay." 

Adrien looked at the two then went downstairs with the bag about to say something but he changed his mind and walked through the unlocked through the door announcing himself at the threshold.

"Mininette? What's going on?"

"It's nothing, I mean, I should have figured, she's an assistant, right?"

Did Luka or Alix slip up and say something more, frankly Mininette already knew _ far _ too much in her opinion, but if Alix thought it was okay then it must be. "Nathalie?"

Mininette nodded, "She seems so unhappy."

Marinette laughed, "I won't tell you anything but I just spoke with her, she's watching our kids, she's _ very _ happy. Okay?"

Mininette frowned, and shook her head, "I don't think so," the girl's eyes were glossy but not tearfilled.

Marinette looked down, "Why would you think that."

"Last night after seeing your dresses, I tried to sketch," she shook her head, "It was a mess. So I figured, you know, try in the morning, so I did and," she shook her head. "It's like, it's gone. I feel like parts of _ me _ are just disappearing."

Marinette smiled sadly, she couldn't imagine how it would feel to not be able to put an idea on her screen or paper. She pulled her backpack style purse off her shoulders and pulled her XL tablet out with pen and opened her favorite app and handed it to the girl, "Want to try with this? Just for fun?"

Mininette looked at the sophisticated equipment with longing and finally reached out for the stylus with her left hand and took the tablet with her right. She started with a woman in shorts and flowing top with a straw hat but the proportions were wrong along with the lines.

Marinette watched subjectively as if she were any other teen she visited as part of the DC & Gabriel Brand Community Outreach program. Except she knew she wasn't, and she knew that this was far below the work she was sketching when she was 11 let alone 17. Mininette was right, she'd lost _ it _.

Mininette didn't look up, "you don't have to say anything. I already know."

Marinette felt her nose tingle, damn hormones, she would not cry about this! "I think you're looking at this wrong. Last night you aggressively took control of the situation and began making lists and finding solutions to problems, something _ I _ don't do but Nathalie does, very well. Something _ you _ do. You're not losing parts of yourself, you're becoming you, part of that is shedding the old you to make room for the new you. I know you won't believe me but that's true for everyone."

Mininette looked up from the screen with worried eyes, "That sounds like garbage, but is it true?" She asked hopefully.

Marinette smirked, "Yeah, it's true. Uh, we're going to talk about some stuff you shouldn't know about, so-"

"Stay here?"

"well, I was going to say try and think of things that you can do now that you couldn't before or feel more natural or easy but, yeah. We good?"

She nodded.

Marinette walked away but on second thought decided to take her tablet, "Sorry, you probably should _ not _ have access to the internet."

Mininette smiled wickedly, she _ had _ thought of it and was waiting for Marinette to leave so she could see what she'd missed in the past decade. Too bad, she shrugged.

Marinette wiggled her finger at her laughing as she walked through the door, "It's just me," she called as she walked down the stairs tucking the tablet in her bag. She walked into the room finding Luka and Alix on a sofa and Adrien across from them in a matching one where he patted the empty seat next to him. She walked over and sat next to him.

Alix leaned forward giving Luka a dirty look when she had to do it twice. "Adrien said you had information. What's up?"

Marinette looked surprised, "You didn't tell them?"

He shook his head, "Your news."

Marinette nodded, "Last n-"

Alix interrupted her, "Yeah, yeah, he set it up for you, you didn't ask she just told you, go on, what did she say?" She looked like she was about to jump out of her seat

Luka smiled but put his hand on her arm to calm her.

"December 8, 1994."

Luka looked stunned.

Alix smiled, "Just boom out of the blue?"

Marinette nodded, "We'd already said our good-byes and I was getting ready to hang up when she called me back and when I replied all she said was December 8, 1994, then the call ended."

Luka crossed his arms then his legs, "well that makes things a little more convenient. Now we only need to know where."

Adrien nodded, "They're watching the boys and Father told us it was the temple. They found her on Christmas day. That's why her name is Nathalie."

Luka shook his head, "It's too dangerous, there's too much unrest in the area, war could break out at any moment."

Adrien turned to Marinette, "can I borrow your tablet?"

She nodded and pulled it out.

He turned it on and scribbled with the stylus, read, scribbled, scrolled, read, scrolled and scribbled, rinse and repeat. Meanwhile the other three watched wondering what he was doing. He looked up triumphantly, "She might be okay if we disguise her as Chinese."

Marinette looked confused, "She _ is _ Chinese, why what's going on?"

Adrien spoke without looking up from the tablet, "Tibetans were fighting because China was trying to control them. Unfortunately, they were hardly powerful enough to fight against such a powerful nation."

Luka frowned, "It's still a big risk."

Adrien sighed, "I don't like it either but it's two and a half weeks. If we drop her off and check on her every few days I think she should be okay. Besides we already have confirmation it will work. Even more important, if we _ don't _ do it we _ know _ we're not doing the right thing."

Marinette didn't like it but she had to agree with him.

Luka spoke up next, "I think we should take Ora with us when we go, just in case."

Marinette didn't want to admit it but she wished they were taking some of the offensive players, when Rose was Oratrice she could calm the entire UN and get them to negotiate in her favor or at least for her safety and her party's by extension. However Marinette would have prefered Yang or Oilarra going their powers could literally force people away. When Marc used his Ram, he could control the location, radius, and destructive power of an earthquake taking out several people at once. The power had been needed only a few times in the 13 years he'd been with them but she'd been thankful for them. Likewise Nathaniel's wings produced his Gust and created winds that would affect who he wanted and could literally blow them away allowing the team to get away. It was a choice she didn't typically use the offensive magic but she was smart enough to know sometimes it was needed. She thought about it and finally decided they _ should _ go, "Marc and Nathaniel should go for safety."

Alix shook her head, "We shouldn't wait. Nathaniel's in the US pitching some big advertisements with Chloe and Marc went with him."

Adrien looked at the ceiling as if he could see Mininette then groaned stretching over the back of the sofa cracking the bones in his neck and back, "Ugh, when will they be back."

Luka frowned, "That's the problem, they didn't just go for a vacation. Nathaniel and Chloe's thing should take about two weeks but immediately after that Marc has a meeting with his publisher. I guess they want to set him up with a new illustrator. He's really pissed because he likes working with Shade, they're really great at what they do and he doesn't believe there's enough pansexual representation and he wants to help them get their name out for the community. Personally I agree Shade's one of the best. I think the publisher is trying to black ball them.

Marinette sighed sometimes if felt like nothing was changing. Shade had been to France a couple times even though they lived in the US and Marinette had, had a lot of fun showing them around. She was glad Marc was a fighter, she knew he wasn't going to let the artist down. "Aurore?"

Adrien shook his head, "Venom's not effective against groups, only single enemies." He looked at her seriously, "You could activate Longg again."

She looked disgruntled, "With who? Kagami lives in Japan and Mireille specifically said she was finished after they had kids."

Adrien shrugged, "So ask Theo."

She looked uncomfortable, "I understand now why Master Fu chose children. Playing with mortality and ages is difficult. I can't give it to Theo, it could cause problems for him and Mireille."

Adrien looked at her with surprise, "You really think she's so vain?"

Alix sarcastically asked him, "Did you think your mom was?"

Adrien frowned, that was a low blow then he realized, "How did you know?"

Alix breezily waved her hand and mysteriously said with a fake accent, "I know many things darling."

Marinette frowned at her friend's antics, "Adrien, can you go check on Mininette, I know I would try to see what's new."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Wha? No, I'm serious, please?"

Adrien climbed the stairs and left.

Alix looked at her, "What's up, why did he have to go?"

Marinette looked exasperated, "Because someone needed to check on her, to make sure she didn't leave!"

Luka snorted and got up to get a bottle of water and glasses.

Marinette looked at Alix, "Did you find anything in your prophecy research that sounds like it could be this?"

Alix nodded, "Years ago I started looking for it," she levered herself up and walked over to a desk built into the bookshelf next to the TV. She leaned over and pressed until the wood swung loose and pulled out a BobbiKavale shoebox. She stood up and opened the box and pulled out a stunning pair of black heels. There was hardly anything to them a tiny strap across the toes but they were towers with 4 inch heels and no front lift. The heel was what made them so expensive, it was the tail of a snake, it crept up the back of the wearer's heel and around their ankle to meet back around at their ankle bone showing off its emerald eyes. Marinette remembered when Alix had been forced to wear them for her debutante ball. She'd had to practice walking in them. It looked like the shoes had grown on her if she had kept them. Alix put the shoes on the desk and walked back to the group with the box in it were three notebooks. She pulled the first one out and flipped through it. Watching her Marinette realized Alix probably still didn't care about the rare shoes that people paid upward $30,000 for, she was just using them as a decoy for her time travel journals. 

"Hey Preggy people!" Alya bounded down the stairs and greeted Marinette, Alix & Luka, "Adrien wanted me to tell you, everything is fine. So, what's going on, what's the big deal?" She said looking at Alix.

Marinette seemed surprised, there wasn't any reason to bring Alya into this. Alix however quickly updated her.

"Nathalie Sancoeur? Little Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Mayura Nathalie?" Alya repeated the names as if verbalizing would somehow make it click easier.

Marinette looked at Alix, "Who else are you bringing in on this?"

Alix shook her head, "Only Alya and Nino, but he's in Switzerland, right?"

Marinette and Alya nodded then smiled at each other.

Alix continued, "When you were talking about safety, I texted Alya. She could always create a battalion for Mininette to be part of. She can make any illusion we need. Maybe we _ should _ ask Nathalie."

"She doesn't want to tell us anything," Adrien said walking down the stairs. "Her logic is, everything is working out perfectly still. If she says anything more, something might change. She's scared. Father on the other hand is afraid not to help. He wants to give us all the information he has."

"Yes," Marinette finished, "but he won't, he knows it upsets her so he won't do it without her consent since it's her life."

"Great," Alix said sarcastically, "I think I liked him more when he was Hawk Moth."

Luka elbowed Alix in the hip.

Alix looked directly at Adrien who didn't seemed the least bothered by her comment, and said, "What? Okay, I'm sorry. since you're my friend."

Adrien smiled, "It's fine, I love my father and I wish he never did those things but I never regretted putting him in prison."

Luka snorted, "You've got a weird relationship."

Adrien laughed, "You're one to talk, you found out who your father was when you were 17 and suddenly it was fishing trips and meeting your 'Gramma' in Oklahoma."

Luka blushed, once Jagged found out Anarka had been pregnant with Luka when they broke up. He'd tried to move heaven and earth to be a good father to Luka and father by extension to Julika. When Luka was 22 Jagged and he went to the US to help him prepare for Kitty Section's US Tour. While they were there Jagged had taken him to his hometown. He had not expected to meet Gramma Stone, he also had been surprised to find Stone was his father's real last name. 

Alya leaned forward getting back on subject, "So you want to take that girl, little Marinette or whatever, and drop her off in the middle of a war zone before any of us were born?"

Marinette cleared her throat, "Mininette, and she has to go back to before we were born, she's older than we are."

Alya looked at her friend as if she'd never seen her before, "Have you lost your minds? It's not safe."

"I agree, and I'm the one who has to take you there," Max said walking down the stairs.

Alix blew out a frustrated breath, "Come on Max, you don't even know the whole story, how much did you hear?"

he cleared the door way and pulled a rolling diningroom chair over to the sofas and sat, "Enough to know it was a stupid idea."

Marinette crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her friend, "Nathalie told us when to go and Gabriel told us where, he was the one who found her, they found her on christmas that's why her name is Nathalie."

Max sat back in the chair contemplating the new information. He looked up, "How did she find out?"

Marinette shook her head, "No one told her, she just said, December 8, 1994."

Max digested this information by crossing his arms across his broad chest, "Hmm, what do you think Luka?"

Luka shook his head, "I don't like it. I don't think it's safe."

Max shrugged, "We could check it out, though."

Luka knew he was fighting a losing battle. "I think I'd be okay if she had someone with her."

Max nodded and turned to Marinette.

Marinette reached her arm out toward Alix, "This is your show, as you so often like to tell me."

Alix gave her a toothy grin, "I know you mean that as a punishment but I like when you have to give up authority."

Marinette nearly groaned.

Alix thought about everyone then looked at Alya, "currently I think you and maybe Mylene might be our best bet."

Adrien nodded, "but what if something happens when no one is there?"

Alix bit her lip something she hardly ever did in front of other people, "It's a big ask but I was wondering if maybe you might like to go on a camping trip."

Alya nodded, "I figured, so you want me to stay there for two and a half weeks?"

Alix nodded, but she knew that Alya's relaxed acceptance meant she didn't realize what her stay would be like.

I'll talk to Nino, but as long as someone can watch Joël, which l know the twins will force Maman to let them take care of him, I don't see any problem.

Luka looked at Alix and grinned. Everyone was thinking it but no one was saying anything, "Alya, you can't take your phone, tablet or any modern devices," he finally said.

Alya looked at Alix to make sure Luka wasn't just joking.

Alix nodded somberly.

"But, but I'm just watching, like, like you know, one of those culture watchers!"

Alix burst into laughter, "anthropologists?"

Alya nodded.

Alix laughed, "Oh, my god, you think you're like an anthropologist? No, you're going to be more like a mercenary, and you will be dressed like someone from 1994."

Alya shook her head, "Like MC Hammer?"

Alix stopped laughing, "You mean like Kurt Cobain?"

Luka looked at Adrien, "If you don't tell her husband I swear, I will."

Adrien while shocked looked like he was going to laugh said, "But they had such a happy marriage."

Marinette knew what they were doing, replacing their fear with laughter. It was something the team had been doing since they were teens but Alya did not seem very happy about being the butt of the joke, "Alright, focus. Alya, you can take a CD player."

"Did they have those yet?" Adrien asked Alix.

"Seriously? You're in an alternative slash hard rock band that's your era."

"I'm also a concert pianist, conductor and composer, technically my 'era' is the 17th century."

"Yeah, people had both tapes and CDs, but in that region cassette tapes would probably be better."

"Knock Knock!" Julika said walking down the stairs, "I hope you don't mind, I let myself in."

Luka nodded, "Hey"

Alya nodded to Alix, "Okay."

Everyone caught Julika up then Adrien looked to Alix, "So since Alya's going to be there and we know my parents are going to find her do we need to get her money?"

Alix nodded she wasn't laughing or happy anymore, "I want her to be able to be independent. She doesn't have an easy life ahead of her."

Adrien nodded, "because of Father?"

Alix shook her head, having lost her mother at 11 she didn't want to taint Adrien's mother's memory but he needed an honest perspective so he could deal with Mininette's situation. "Your mother."

"But-" he tried to argue.

"Adrien please don't make me go into it."

"No, it's just I don't think you know, they were friends."

Alix shook her head, "Adrien I think you should talk to your father about what your mother really thought of Nathalie. And think about it this way, how would you feel if a handsome young man who likes Marinette lived with you?"

Adrien's mouth closed in surprise.

"Now, add in the fact that you already feel insecure because everyone who used to tell you how great you were every day can't wait to replace you at work. When you look in the mirror yo-"

Luka stopped her, "He gets it."

"I thought they were friends," he said.

Alix blew out a breath feeling bad, "They were, their relationship was complicated." Alix turned to Alya, "One last really important thing, she can't know you're with her. She thinks she's avoiding becoming Nathalie still."

Marinette kept quiet about the conversation they'd had upstairs.

Alya looked surprised but nodded then asked, "So have you already gathered her funds or how do we go about it?"

Luka stood up and walked away, a few minutes later he returned with the safe which he thunked down on their dining table. Everyone got up and came over while he unlocked it. When he opened the lid everyone looked in. The two elliptical shaped miracle boxes were in there along with piles of tied money but so were bags of… _ diamonds _ and _ gold coins _.

Alya's eyes nearly bulged and she whispered, "woah," under her breath.

Luka cleared his throat, "So, we originally thought gold would be smart, but it's actually really a bad idea. We're better off se-"

"That's my mom's necklace!" Adrien said reaching into the safe

Alix looked to Luka with a frown.

Luka smiled at Adrien, "not that one. Maybe Mininette gives it to her as a gift."

Adrien slowly shook his head, moving away from the safe, "This is so weird, is this what it's like for you two all the time?"

Alix shook her head, "No, well, kind of. I just have to be very temporally aware."

Luka nodded, "you just have to keep track of which time has actually happened for everyone."

Alya frowned, "Sounds stressful."

Luka shrugged, "It's fine."

Marinette spoke up, "So what is your plan?"

"We're going to keep the gold or buy more diamonds with it. The diamonds didn't appreciate the same way, these are all VVS2's. I never thought I'd be grateful for the De Beers Cartel but it looks like it might work in our favor this one time."

Marinette frowned, "Um, maybe this is a movie thing but aren't diamond's laser etched?"

Alix nodded, "It's not just a movie thing it started in the mid 1980s and they still don't do it to all of them but back then they really didn't do it to many because the equipment was so expensive, so we should be fine."

Marinette smiled, "You're really good at this."

Max looked thoughtful, "What if there are two of the same diamond in circulation?"

Alix smiled, "Very good question, I thought of that too. Since laser etching serial numbers on them wasn't very common all of these are unmarked. Now, it would set off redflags to have so many unmarked but back then it would be normal especially in that region. So today we can sell some of these coins and buy some used jewelry and diamonds. As well as clothes for you and Mininette."

"You'll need typical camping stuff," Max said.

Luka nodded, "I'm getting that, while you are all shopping I'll go back and get that in Paris in 1994."

"I want to go!" Julika said.

"Me too," Alix grumbled.

Marinette watched the whole scene feeling a lack of control and decided to delegate, "Luka and Julika go to 1994 and get camping supplies and tourist things, make sure it looks like she was traveling with her parents." She turned to Alix "You need to convert the gold coins to diamonds right? How about you divide it between you and Max?"

"It would be better if Alya can help the more people the better, this much gold might be a little suspicious," Alix said worried.

"Okay, Alya too, but after that, try to go to a used store and find what you want to take,"

Luka interrupted, "We'll buy you a new walk-man."

Alya looked at him, "What's that."

"A cassette player. I'll get you some music too."

"Thanks."

"Adrien you can either stay here or get the kids."

Luka looked at Adrien, "This is important, obviously but we need to work on our record, we promised a song at the end of the month, and that's in 4 days."

Adrien nodded and sighed, "I'll stay here. Do you have anything?"

Luka nodded, "Some notes in the studio upstairs."

Max cleared his throat, "Are we ready?"

Alix nodded, "Yeah, let me get my bag."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please comment, I always respond. Bookmark to get an email when this story is updated or subscribe so you get an email when any of my stories are uploaded as they are all from the same timeline.


	12. The Couffaine Kids Go Shopping in 1994 (Special Chapter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Couffaine Kids (they're 29 and 27) go shopping in 1994. This is a fun chapter and does not have to be read, it has a few tidbits that will come up in other stories but nothing important for this story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1994 France used the FRF the French Franc, I'm American that's why I chose to use $ for currency. The exchange rates are all true for the time. I'm not sure if BNP Paribas keeps gemologists and appraisers on hand but I highly doubt it. Also for anyone who is more familiar with Paris in 1994 more info and corrections would be welcome, not be viewed as criticism. 
> 
> As I stated in the summary this is just a fun light hearted chapter. Oddly it's when I first took French. I remember because I was in French during the solar eclipse, May 10, 1994.

Luka looked at Julika's outfit they were both wearing jeans with T-shirts and high top sneakers, perfect for time travel within the past 70 years. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Julika said.

Luka smiled and they walked out the door both kwami's settling in Julika's multi colored long tresses. "How's Rose?"

"Good! The ultrasound was yesterday, he's getting big, I can't understand how she can stand," Julika shook her head.

Luka smiled, "You got lucky because of your height. Alix is pretty miserable."

"She doesn't act it."

"It's a show," he said as he pulled open the cathedral's side door. He transformed and they stepped into 1994.

Julika sniffed, "It smells different."

Rabid Hare heard voices and pushed her towards an alcove to hide, this was before anyone had seen miraculous holders.

Julika looked at his tuxedo and top hat, "Does that hat come off?"

Rabid who'd been looking around the corner turned back to his sister, "Huh? No."

Julika watched her brother detransform but was listening to the men talking, "I think they're preparing for a mass. Bad timing Rabid Hare."

"Thanks," Luka said sarcastically walking out of the alcove as if he'd been there all day.

Roarr agreed and told Julika, "When charged with Fluff you have to be extra careful."

Julika now on the defensive for her brother said, "He was, no one was there when we came."

Luka grinned as he walked outside. They walked to BNP Paribas, when he walked through the door a bank teller came up to them with a smile and said she was free. Luka smiled back, service was different in the old days, he thought and followed the woman, "Uh, I have some diamonds I'd like appraised and exchanged."

She nodded, "Of course, let me call one of our appraisers would you like something to drink while you wait?"

"Uh? No," Luka said confused then turned to Julika who looked just as confused as he was.

When the woman walked away Julika spoke first, "have you come here before?"

"No, and she's coming back."

The teller walked up with another woman who greeted them and asked them to follow her. They walked toward the elevator then followed her into a room with what looked like a microscope. "Please have a seat, I'm Genivive, I'm a gemologist and appraiser for the bank, Mr. Stone."

Suddenly everything made sense, but this was perfect.

Julika snickered softly.

Genevieve checked the diamonds and totaled said they were worth 2,000,000 Francs.

Julika said in English, "Do you know off hand what that is in US Dollar?"

Genivive opened a drawer and pulled out a calculator and typed quickly then looked up to Luka as if Julika had never spoken, "$350,000."

Luka nodded, "My cousin is visiting from the states."

Genivive nodded and gathered the diamonds putting them in a box instead of back into the bag, "Would you like me to put these in a safe for you?"

Luka smiled, "Actually I'd like to exchange some of them but yes, let's put some of them in a safety deposit box."

Julika looked at him with shock.

Genevieve set the box down then stood up, "I'll get the paperwork, it will only be a few minutes."

When the door shut Julika turned to him in shock, "You can't do that, it's cheating."

Luka shook his head, "No, I just figured out who 'Uncle Jacob Stone' is," he said pulling out a forged ID he had made years ago and handing it to her. It showed a picture of him saying his name was Jacob Stone.

"Why do you have this?"

"When Alix and I were getting married it came in an envelope to her house with an apology that he couldn't come to the wedding but our gift was at the bank," he said with the biggest smile.

Julika frowned, "Luka this isn't okay."

Luka shook his head, "I disagree, I think it's perfect, Fluff? What do you think?"

Fluff seemed to think about it, "using time money to fix time problem. Good idea."

Luka looked smugly at his little sister, "See, I'm only going to use it responsibly, I promise."

Julika frowned, "How did you not know it was you?" 

Luka shrugged, "I'd always worn my hair long until a couple years ago. Remember when we were all so afraid to change our hair because we didn't know if it would reflect when we transformed?"

Julika nodded.

"I just forgot about it when I cut and shaved my hair last year it wasn't till she said that, I remembered."

Julika narrowed her eyes at him, "So you just carry that ID with you?"

Luka shrugged, "Alix told me to."

Julika was about to reply but there was a knock at the door and Genevieve came in. Luka filled out all the paperwork. They eventually took $2,000 out and left the diamonds in a safety deposit box and paid the rental fees for 25 years he asked if he could name his nephew Luka Couffain the beneficiary and they said yes but they needed his ID he said he'd come back with it and they left. 

When they walked out Julika looked at him with her arms across her chest, "You're feeling pretty smart, aren't you?"

Luka smiled and turned to Julika, "Little bit. Let's go to the electronics store," he said pointing to the store ahead. When they walked in there was a man discussing cellular business service. Julika elbowed him in his side and he shook his head.

Julika stopped and talked to the man, "If I get one of these phones will it work if I'm in India or China?"

The man looked at her as if she had lost her mind, "Um, no, it only works in this region."

Julika frowned, "I'm going to be in that region for business and need to be connected do you have any ideas?"

The man frowned, "you're going to have to buy a phone there, I can see if I can get you an address and phone number so you know exactly where to go."

Luka frowned at his sister from behind the man.

Julika nodded smiling, "That would be great thank you."

The man nodded, "I'll get that information for you while you're shopping, if you could stop back before you leave?"

Julika smiled, "Yeah sure."

Luka walked down an Aisle and began picking up items. "She's going to love this!"

Julika stood on her toes to look over his shoulder, "What is that?"

He handed her the box and kept walking, once they were done they went went to the music area and picked up a WalkerMan and some tapes, Ace of Bass, Freddy Mercury, Brian Adams, Youssou N'Dour & Neneh Cherry, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion among others, of course they picked up Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Lisa Loeb, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Beck, SoundGarden and more rock than Alya would ever want to listen to.

As they walked to the counter Julika turned the tape over to read the tiny print, "Do you think Alya would let me keep her STP and Beck tapes?"

Luka nodded, "Yeah, I don't think she likes any of this pile," he said referring to the larger pile of music they liked.

Julika nodded then smiled, "I think we ought to get her a CD player, better quality music, don't you?"

Luka knew what she was after, he gnawed at the tip of his lip knowing he shouldn't but he wanted the high fidelity sound too, so he agreed, he went to get a DiskRunner while Julika nearly skipped back to the tapes and traded them all for CDs.

When the went to pay for everything the price was shockingly affordable. When they walked back outside, Julika said, "I need a new cord and while we're here I don't need one but since stuff is so cheap maybe I should buy a new amp!"

Luka laughed, "Weren't you just yelling at me for cheating?"

Julika smiled, "I do want to get something for Rose, she really wanted to come. I kind of feel bad coming."

Luka pushed open a door for a sports supplier, "Don't feel guilty, she did stuff you couldn't when you were pregnant."

"I know, but it's just how I feel, you know?"

An associate walked up to them suspiciously, after all they didn't look like they had money other than the large bag from the electronics store they looked like homeless people or college students but Luka's tattoos were excessive and made him appear distasteful in a time when tattoo culture was not popular outside of prisoners, bikers or military men in Paris. "Uh, is there anything I can show you?"

Julika was familiar with the tone, it said, 'you're not welcome here. you're offensive to me and don't belong, once I figure out a way to force you out I will,'. She smiled brightly, she wasn't the shy girl she used to be, she'd learned a lot over the years and grown quite the backbone, "Yes!

We need camping equipment."

The man didn't move, "What type of camping?"

Julika stopped smiling, "We're going to Tibet, it needs to be able to withstand the cold, we will be outside, that is in the Himilayas," she said as if she were talking to someone stupid. She supposed she was.

The man started to look a little uncertain. 

Luka crossed his arms over his chest, "I don't think they have the quality we need," turning to walk out.

The man nearly jumped realizing this would be an expensive sale walking out the door, "No, we do, please follow me," he said leading them to the camping supplies. As they picked four backpacks and all the gear a family of three could need as well a one person camping by themselves. Once they felt they had four of everything the store sold the man packed it all into the back packs then showed them the backs could be latched together to make a litter or so one person could carry more than one, which was exactly what they needed. When everything was done Luka handed him a handful of crisp 100 and 200 franc notes and the man looked at the money suspiciously. It looked real the colors were vivid but not fake looking he was still deciding what to do when Julika spoke up.

"Is something wrong? Will our money spend better somewhere else? Do you think management will help you?"

She hadn't realized it but a young woman a couple years older than the man helping them walked behind the counter next to the man, "Claude, is there any problem?" she said crowding him forcing him to let her behind the register while she reached for the money which she quickly counted finding it the right amount she quickly dispensed Luka's change. "Thank you for choosing our shop Mr. Stone, I'm a huge fan, I can't wait for the concert tonight!"

Luka turned to Julika with a smile. She smiled tightly back to him baring as many teeth as possible.

The manager looked at Julika, "Um, I know this is rude since you perform in masks but are you Anarchy?"

Julika's jaw dropped but before she could say anything Luka laughed bringing his finger to his lips, "Shhhh," he said with a wink then to his sister he said, "Come on Anarka." As they walked away they could hear the manager quietly squealing, he had to admit it was pretty fun even if they weren't actually squealing over him being him.

Once they exited the building Julika rounded on him, "Ew, no, I am not Maman."

"If I can pretend to be my father then you can be Maman."

"Your father is cool."

"Jagged is only cool because he's not your father. You had a crush on Bon Jovi and Eddie Van Halen, you like old rockers, weird taste for a lesbian."

Julika narrowed her eyes at him, "Don't judge my taste in men, I love them on a spiritual level." 

Luka rolled his eyes, "Yeah, your spirit has good taste I suppose but seriously some of them are literally old enough to be your grandfathers. Either way though, Maman's cool"

"Is she… Really?"

"Well she is _ now _."

"Omigod! I should have picked up their CD."

"Yeah, especially since they're new, every sale will help them."

When they walked into the music store they picked up all of the copies of the Crocko Duo's CD as well as a few more from various bands Luka wanted to look at some Reggae music when he went down that aisle he nearly fell over he quickly back pedaled and walked back to his sister and pulled her back with him.

"What?" she whined.

"Shh, just come here," when they walked around the corner there stood a young, blue eyed, short, curvy version of Julika sharing headphones with a man who could have been Luka's younger brother. Both had their hair dyed from root to tip fuchsia but their mother's was brighter since her hair had started going grey when she was 17.

"Woah, no wonder everyone keeps recognising you," Julika whispered

"They were together a long time," he said quietly. He backed up and pulled Julika away to give his parents privacy.

"I know what you're doing and you can't do that."

"You don't know what I'm thinking," he said quietly as they made their way to the register and paid.

"You're thinking her getting pregnant was why they broke up and blaming yourself," she said once they were back outside walking.

Luka hated to admit it but that _ was _ what he had been doing, having Julika as both sister and best friend was not a good idea.

"Maman's a control freak, she couldn't handle being with Papa either."

Julika's father had been a father to both of them. Even after he'd moved out he'd treated both of them like they were his kids. Stephane would take them on vacations in the mountains or they would stay over at his place for the weekend. Luka realized Julika was right, "you think she couldn't share us?"

Julika nodded, "Rose gets that way sometimes too, forgetting that she's not the only parent or her way isn't automatically the best or only way."

"Was that why you asked me?"

Julika shrugged, "I'm not going to lie, it is a bonus feature, but how many gay couples can have children together and still be related to them? If it weren't for you and Rose's brother, I mean, we'd still have our kids but… I just think we're lucky."

Luka shrugged, "You're welcome, I think."

Julika gently pushed his shoulder then grabbed his upper arm and hugged him tight, "Thank you Luka," 

He hugged her back making sure not to hit any kwamis, "hey, it's cool. To quote Adrien, 'how could I deprive the world of these genetics?'"

She pulled away and peered up at him trying to tell if he was serious and finally asked, "did he really say that?"

Luka nodded laughing, "He said at their first doctor's appointment when Mari found out she was pregnant with Hugo."

Julika couldn't help it she imagined an aggitated Adrien, nervous because with his wife pregnant it would now be obvious they'd been having sex and for some reason their friend fluctuated between sin and puritanical at the drop of a pin usually embarrassing himself. Suddenly she burst out laughing imagining Adrien trying to act calm then utterly failing by making such a statement.

Luka looked toward the Seine, "He changed a lot after the kids came."

Julika smiled and patted his shoulder, "You'll be fine, Papa, Anika will just make you pathetic like Léa did with Ivan." Luka turned pink and Julika laughed.

After getting everything they needed on their list including getting Mininette 1,000 Yuan and 250 for Alya the currency being used in Tibet they had ice cream along the river as they made their way toward the cathedral.

"I have to make one extra time stop if you want to come."

Julika nodded, "Really? When?"

"Winter of 2017."

She nodded, "Sure."

They crossed the bridge and walked into the huge Gothic structure, once inside Luka transformed in an alcove. He walked into the main area and called for a burrow, they walked through and walked back out. Rabid de-transformed and they left. 

They walked close to where Alix and Luka would eventually dock their home and found a letter box. Luka pulled out the envelope he had already filed with the letter, key and Jacob Stone's ID and he placed it in the box. 

As they walked toward the church Julika smiled, "So, when did you and Alix get married?"

Luka looked at his sister with confusion, "What do you mean? You were there."

Julika smiled, "you said you got that as a gift for your wedding but you're sending it in 2017, you didn't get married until 2020. But that's not true is it? You were already married, that's why you and Alix said you wanted your legal ceremony to be only between the two of you."

Luka paled then swallowed, "It's not-"

Julika stared him down.

Luka turned away from her, "yeah."

Julika frowned, "She was only 17!"

Luka shrugged, "I was only 18."

"You two really thought you were Romeo and Julliette, huh?"

Luka looked irritated, "No. We never thought that. They died." He said the last under his breath.

"So who knows?"

"Mr. Kubdel, her grandmother, Jagged, Maman, you and us."

"Jagged and Maman know?!"

"We needed advice."

As they walked around the Cathedral, Julika asked, "Why did you do it?"

"Mr. Kubdel didn't want us seeing one another."

Julika looked shocked, "But he loves you."

Luka laughed, "_ Now _. Then he wanted someone classier for his little princess."

Julika thought about it and as much as she liked Mr. Kubdel it seemed like he had always been pressuring Jalil and Alix to be socialites. It wasn't surprising, he wouldn't approve of her brother, "So? He just rolled over after you said you were married?" 

"No, he just stopped speaking to both of us, so he also stopped fighting us. Eventually her grandmother smoothed over the whole thing."

"So Jalil doesn't even know?"

Luka shook his head then made his way to the alcove to transform so they could go home. He found when Rabid Hare walked out and opened a portal. They went in and he found when Alya, Alix and Max were on their way back to the house and chose then to return home pulling his sister through the burrow with him. He de-transformed finding an irritable Fluff looking at him from below Julika's ear. 

"Finished?" Fluff said.

Luka nodded and pulled out a carrot, "Sorry man."

Fluff nibbled happily

Julika frowned, "You bought new stuff for the band that year."

Luka nodded, "Yeah,"

"With that money?"

Luka nodded.

"But you sai-"

Luka put a hand up, "You can call it cheating if you want but Fluff seemed to, and seems to think it's okay." He sighed, "we knew fixing this mess would cost a lot, the band wasn't a hobby it was actually making money. I considered it investing in my career, a career that potentially could make lots of money. And before you ask, Alix never told me we would make it."

Julika wasn't totally sure she agreed but figured if Fluff thought it was okay then it must have been.

As they walked toward the boat they could hear Adrien playing Jagged's old ZX20.4 synthesizer, switching between violins, cellos, electric bass guitars and electric guitars, it sounded like he was working on two different things. Luka _ hoped _ he was working on two different things… he grimaced, he really hoped it was two different things because it wasn't working. 

Max, Alix and Alya walking toward them and they all boarded together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any mistakes, I've edited this chapter against the next one a lot for continuity errors but I'm afraid it might still have a few issues but like I said the one isn't really an important chapter.
> 
> As always please comment, I always respond. Bookmark to get an email when this story is updated or subscribe so you get an email when any of my stories are uploaded as they are all from the same timeline.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette Urges Mininette to choose a name since she has decided to live in Tibet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Nathalie was Marinette didn't she have the right to give Adrien the scarf she made?

Adrien walked upstairs to the studio and went to his keyboard and picked up Luka's notes and picked up a pencil he read what Luka had wrote, it looked really good it was about feeling like everything was finished it could be seen from many different sides someone had accomplished their life's goals or they were tired of life's crap. It could be an uplifting song or a song to listen to when you were depressed it was all based on how you perceived it. Unfortunately no matter how many times he read it it was just words, nothing came to him other than what Luka had already written. He tapped at the keys but nothing useful seemed to come. He switched the keyboard to it's piano setting and worked on what he'd been writing for the Orchestre de Paris regular shows. As a junior maestro, pianist and composer he had to submit at least one full concert a year with parts for all instruments. For some reason all he could hear was strings and piano but the piece was so distinct it needed to be written down. Maybe once he got it down the KS song would come. He was so engrossed in flipping the keyboard back and forth between various instruments and recording what he liked he didn't notice Mininette sitting at Ivan's drum kit watching him.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he said scribbling a note next to the bass clef for the cello players.

She swallowed, "If I don't, you know, become Nathalie will you and Marinette end up together?"

Adrien looked at the girl and walked over to his coffee and took a drink to cover his smile since Alix told him her becoming Nathalie was unavoidable. He shrugged, "To be honest I don't know."

"How did you end up together?"

He shook his head, "I don't think I can tell you that."

"Did she have anything to do with it?"

Adrien thought about it and realized for the first time aside from his father's warning if his mother and he hadn't met Nathalie he never would have been born Mininette was right, he probably wouldn't have met Marinette because she had advocated for him to go to public school but he lied. "Uh, you know, I really don't think so." He laughed to himself thinking of the scarf incident, in a real way she was partially entitled to making a decision about letting his father use it as a gift. He couldn't wait to tell Marinette and hear her logic on it.

Mininette looked confused, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, something that happened when I was a kid. It won't effect Marinette and I getting together but if you don't become Nathalie it won't happen."

"What happened?"

Adrien smiled and shook his head, "Spoilers."

"Ugh, keep your secrets." She turned and walked out the door but turned around to offer one last thought, " _ If _ I become your step mother I'll remember you being mean to me."

Adrien smiled, "okay Cruella De Ville."

From down the hall he heard her say, "Cruella DeVille wasn't a step mother," and he laughed.

Downstairs Marinette made a massive lunch for everyone and while everything was finishing cooking she pulled her tablet out and scribbled furiously. Her muse was finding inspiration everywhere. 

"Wow."

Marinette jumped and looked behind her, she had been so engrossed she hadn't noticed Mininette standing next to her, let alone heard when she'd walked down the stairs, "Oh! Hey!"

"Those are really cute!"

Marinette smiled, "thanks, they're for DC's kid's line."

Mininette sat down in the chair next to Marinette and asked the same question she'd asked Adrien.

Marinette looked thoughtful even though she was terrified by what Gabriel had said earlier she said, "I don't really know, what I  _ do _ know is you need to live your life. Okay?"

Mininette nodded and replied softly, "I don't want to become Mayura."

Marinette understood, she wouldn't want to go from 'Hero of Paris' to 'Villain mastermind's sidekick', "I think what you need to remember is to follow what you think is right, when you get to Tibet and stop thinking bad things about Mayura, as much as she loved him she was the one who was responsible for Hawk Moth getting turned in and going to jail, she's considered a hero."

Mininette looked at her with disbelief.

"Okay, maybe not a hero but the public has forgiven her."

"Then where is she?"

"You want me to tell her?"

Mininette looked at her critically, "I would have told you exactly when and where to send me."

Marinette's eyes widened she was so surprised she couldn't disguise her reaction fast enough.

Mininette nodded, "That's what I thought. So why isn't she here?"

Marinette frowned, how had she been so transparent? She sighed, "She is afraid she'll say or do something to influence you so she won't be coming. She said when she was younger, no one came to her so she isn't coming."

Mininette nodded, that made sense, "Why would she do such bad things?"

Marinette shook her head, "I don't know why she did a lot of things and I can't tell you the reasons for the things I do know."

Mininette frowned.

Marinette closed the apps she was using and opened a baby name site and handed her tablet to Mininette, "Don't try anything sneaky, but why don't you look for a name? You probably aren't going to want to go by Mininette."

"Why can't I go by Marinette?"

Marinette didn't really have a good answer other than the one she couldn't tell her, Gabriel had said she had picked the name Mirai Chime, "Um, seems like a weird name for a Tibetan girl to have."

Mininette shrugged and looked at the name database after about fifteen minutes she asked if she could search a name's meaning on a different site. Marinette opened a different site then handed her the tablet back. Mininette handed her the tablet, "I think I picked my new name."

Marinette nodded, "You want to tell me or wait and tell everyone?"

"Doesn't matter to me."

Marinette nodded, "I'll get Adrien," she said walking to the stairs, on her way she heard steps on the dock and she turned back to Mininette, "Looks like someone is home," she said then she called up the stairs, "Adrien can you come down please?"

"Yeah, just a sec."

The door popped open and everyone filed in and downstairs with bags in their hands. The kwamis zipped to the dollhouse hidden in the fireplace behind it's opaque screen.

Marinette looked at Mininette, "I guess you get to tell everyone."

Julika looked at the teen girl, "Tell us what?"

"The name I've chosen."

Alix walked into the kitchen and washed her hands seeing the huge meal she called back to Marinette, "Mari, you didn't have to do this."

Max teased her, "Did you make coffee."

"No. I didn't think anyone deserved it."

Adrien ran down the stairs, and grabbed Luka then seeing Julika he pulled her along with them and they all disappeared upstairs. 

Marinette frowned a few seconds later Julika's bass was on and playing something then Adrien started playing and after quite a long while Luka played the saddest sounding riff.

Alya turned to Alix, "Can we go up?"

"Sure, they don't care," she said as she put the food Marinette had made out while Alya dragged Max upstairs with Mininette eagerly following.

Marinette stayed and pulled the breads out of the oven where they had been keeping warm.

Alix turned to Marinette after the table was set, "Anything new?"

Marinette reached for a crisp asparagus and bit it, "Gabriel said she picked the name Mirai Chime, she was about to tell us the name she picked when you got home."

Alix nodded then looked up when a low mournful buzz floated down from Julika's bass, "Sounds like Adrien got some work done."

"We both did."

Suddenly Luka picked up and the song altered but Julika kept the buzzy sound. Just when Alix thought Adrien was definitely background on this song he started to take the lead then he stopped but Julika kept going then everything stopped. 

After a smattering of applause everyone came down. Marinette told everyone Mininette had chosen her new name and she wanted to hear it so they needed to quiet down.

Mininette was suddenly embarrassed, she really liked the name. It seemed really fitting, the last name Chime meant 'everlasting' or 'immortal' was a common Tibetan name, but she liked the first name because it meant 'to adjust' and her life seemed to be all about adjusting now. She looked at everyone's faces and smiled, "You can call me Nima Chime."

Marinette looked at Adrien with worry.

Everyone else congratulated her except Alix who watched Marinette, she spoke up, "wait, wait! I really love the name too, I just need to do some quick research to make sure it's not a new name, if wouldn't do if the name only existed since 2005, right?"

Mininette hadn't thought of that and agreed, "Okay, I have a backup but I like the meaning behind Nima Chime the most." She turned to Alya, "It means 'one who adjusts' and I figure I'm adjusting right?"

Alya nodded, "Girl I don't know anyone who will adjust more tha-"

Alix was tapping through her apps not looking for anything when she looked up with a disappointed look on her face to Mininette inturrupted Alya, "Oh, Mininette I'm sorry, that name is really new, it apparently came from, well actually I can't tell you but it came out in 2025, were you looking at baby names?"

"Yeah," she said disappointed, "What about Mirai?"

Marinette looked at Adrien and they smiled visibly relieved.

Alix just tapped at her phone, "Oh, that looks like it's a traditional name, looks good Mirai Chime."

Mininette smiled, "Thanks, I liked it because I read people in Tibet use the name but in Japanese it means future but in Shona language in Zimbabwe it means to wait."

Marinette lifted her glass of water, "To Mirai."

Everyone followed and toasted the girl, "To Mirai."

While they ate they discussed finalizing plans. Those who could would meet back daily and Friday they would take her to Tibet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good bye Mininette, Hello Mirai Chime.
> 
> As always please comment, I always respond. Bookmark to get an email when this story is updated or subscribe so you get an email when any of my stories are uploaded as they are all from the same timeline.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette takes Nathalie to see Tom and Sabine and the two women become closer. What you've patiently been waiting for is FINALLY happening Mininette/Mirai leaves for Tibet! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is currently where my focus is so I expect another chapter to be coming soon too

_ Friday around 6 am. _

Today was the day, Mirai thought looking at her camping equipment that would be all her possessions. She'd really miss her cellphone, this week had probably been a good lesson in life without cell phones. She groaned, when did Smartphones come out again? Ugh. In Tibet. She frowned she needed to focus. She needed to learn Chinese. On the bed was a digital (if you could really call the archaic device that) language assistant, Luka bought. It was nothing like what could be purchased now but 1994 this was state of the art, she was sure of it. From what they'd told her the region wasn't the safest place so she needed to keep her head down and just learn how to get along with everyone for the first few months. She'd be fine, she hoped. She was scared and lonely. Was this why Nathalie was so cold? No! She would not become Nathalie! _ I will learn Chinese, I will make friends and I will take care of what is left of the temple as the guardian. _ She told herself for probably the thousandth time that morning

¤¤¤

_ Thursday 12 hours earlier_

Nathalie stood in front of her closet mirror tapping her right toe critically. She shook her head and pulled the pins out of her hair letting the cascade fall to her upper back. She never publicly wore her hair like this, she looked too much like Marinette, it was one of the reasons she kept up with dying after college even though the style of block coloring had faded. She pulled it back up, then braided it, then angrily put it back in her customary bun they had known her for years as she was. She looked over at her clothes nearly sighing with indecision she was not going to wear her work clothes though.

Forty minutes later she descended and walked into the livingroom finding Gabriel behind his tablet and Estelle mimicking him behind hers, occasionally bringing him pictures and notifying him of the name and color of the shape that was popping up in the learning app. She cleared her throat.

Gabriel looked up and lifted an eyebrow. Nathalie had chosen a flowy cream dress, with small black flowers and capped sleeves and gold and pearl buttons. He stood up and kissed her cheek, "You look lovely. Now, if you want them to know you go change, because that isn't you."

Nathalie held her hands tightly, "I'm not sure about this-"

Gabriel turned to Estelle, "We'll be right back okay?"

Estelle ignored them both while Gabriel led Nathalie upstairs to their closet.

"You have no reason to be unsure. This is a formality. You want them in your life but do you need them?" He said looking critically at her wardrobe, if there had been time he could have possibly made something if he knew she was going to be this upset about it. He heard her sniff and spun around.

Nathalie wiped her eye she absolutely never cried, "I didn't think so, but I mean I haven't had parents for what 30, 40 years? You'd think it wouldn't matter but, for some reason it really does. A lot. After not having them, I don't know what I'll do if I'm rejected," She whispered the last.

Gabriel walked over and pulled her close, "You'll come home, this has always been _ your _ home. Where your husband and daughter will be waiting and you'll be welcomed."

Nathalie nodded sniffing and sliding her arms around him under his blue suit jacket.

Gabriel leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "I have an idea of what to wear, okay?"

"Okay," came a tiny voice buried in his shirt, a moment later she pulled away and wiped her eyes more than a little embarrassed with her display.

Gabriel walked to the closet and pulled out a charcoal grey wool pencil skirt with pink pinstripes with a small flounce in the back. He paired it with a black raw silk blouse that's powdery finish made it complement the skirt. While she changed he turned to his own accessories and found a pink and black pocket square that had she put it in the pocket of that flowy shirt would have weighed it down but when he did it, the shirt dared not disobey him and stayed in place. He stood back to look at his wife, the hints of pink gave her the pieces of her childhood he knew she was grasping for but the black and severe nature of the outfit was true to who she was. However the softness and ruffles were also his wife whether the world or even she was aware of it, he was. "It's perfect," he said.

Nathalie nodded, it was, she reached for some black hose and pulled them on watching Gabriel who nodded and handed her the shoes he wanted her to wear, "The Nathalies" she caught him calling them one day. 

"Front Entrance ajar" The house alarm chirped in their bedroom.

"I'm here, Iet myself in!" Came Marinette's voice from the foyer. 

"Well?" She stood 

Gabriel nodded, "Lovely and very much, 'You'," he leaned down and kissed her. "They already like you, now they just get to claim you."

Nathalie ignored the idiocy of him saying something so illogical and decided to try and take the complement at face value, "alright, thank you."

They walked down the stairs to find Marinette wearing a lavender and rose version of the dress Gabriel had nixed and Nathalie turned to him he raised an eyebrow arrogantly then walked over to Marinette.

"You look lovely, _ Marinette _," he said kissing her on the cheeks.

Marinette looked confused at the emphasis on her name, "Ah, thank you? Adrien said if you want to meet at the park he'll be taking the boys out in an hour."

Gabriel checked his watch and nodded, "Sounds good, alright ladies, have a nice evening. I have Inez if I need anything," he said and leaned over to peck Nathalie on her lips before walking away.

Nathalie smiled and picked up the clutch she had set on the stair railing and they walked out the door.

"What did he mean by that?" Marinette asked as they walked to her parent's home and famous bakery.

"It was aimed at me, I was going to wear that same dress."

Marinette smiled, "The cream one? It looks pretty on you but this is much more you."

Nathalie looked down, "It is." 

When they reached the side door of the bakery Nathalie's stomach turned while Marinette unlocked the door. Nathalie followed her up the familiar stairs, she was no stranger to the home even as Marinette's step-mother-in-law, and business partner's assistant she'd come over occasionally but this was different, somehow walking up the stairs this time was like walking up the stairs when she was ten, or 16, or the day she'd come home from school after forgetting to turn off the gas before an akuma attack and accidentally igniting Adrien's book and starting a major fire in the science lab. Technically she could get away with saying that was Marinette, not her but they were her memories too. This felt like every one of the worst times she could remember walking up these steps. She felt like she was going to face her executioner, and her name was Sabine. What was it with mères? They made you feel loved or the worst. 

The door swung open and there she was her tiny maman, "Marinette! Mme. Agreste?" Sabine looked startled but recovered quickly, "Marinette said she was bringing a friend, come in," she said opening the door and moving out of the way for them to enter.

Marinette glided in naturally but Nathalie just stood in the hall feeling like a vampire waiting for an invitation. Her feet turning to ice, suddenly she understood the meaning of the phrase. This was foolish. Tom and Sabine didn't need the trouble of having her in their lives as anything more than she already was. She started to back away to the stairs, "Actually Marine-"

Marinette walked back into the hall with eyes like sapphires in the hardest meaning possible, harder than ice and grabbed her arm and whispered, "I'll tell them tonight, with or without you."

Nathalie frowned, she was not a fan of being manipulated, especially from a woman who was taught the art by her. Her lips thinned and she turned back to the door and she followed with a thin smile in place. "Good evening Mrs. Cheng, Mr. DuPain"

Her parents greeted her like the extended family that they saw her as and showed her and Marinette to the table that was already set with food. Surprisingly her mother had made her favorites. 

Marinette cleared her throat, "So, um, we have some news that there's no way to break to you easily."

Sabine nodded while Tom reached for the rice.

Marinette took a deep breath.

"I'm your daughter," Nathalie said before anything else could be said.

Tom put the rice paddle back in the bowl and looked at the woman sitting next to his daughter then to his wife. He'd only been with three women and he had definitely not been with any when he was young enough to have children Nathalie's age, he looked at sabine without turning his head. She'd been alive a _ long _ time. Was Nathalie hers? That didn't make sense Sabine had been grieving before him, he wouldn't have cared if she'd been with anyone else but he knew she hadn't been. What was Nathalie talking about? Was this some new Agreste trick? 

Sabine looked at Nathalie then Marinette, then back to Nathalie then took a bite of carrot. "Okay, what happened?"

Marinette turned to Nathalie and reached for a piece of broccoli with her fingers with a smug grin but before her fingers made it to the bowl her mother gently rapped her fingers with her chopsticks,

Nathalie smirked and accepted the rice Tom was putting in her bowl and the broccoli Sabine pointedly placed on top looking at Marinette. She had the overwhelming urge to give into a childish display like sticking her tongue out at the younger woman but settled on smiling happily and thanking Sabine and Tom. She took a deep breath, "Well you see _ she _ let go of the umbrella," Nathalie said intentionally rudely pointing at her sister with her chopsticks.

¤¤¤

"I miss you too," Nino said from her tablet in the middle of their dining table.

Alya laughed, "You're having too much fun to miss me."

Nino grinne but they both knew he still missed her, "I am, it's weird when you get to work with people you idolize."

Alya nodded, "You're amazing and they know it too."

"You look tired and you have a long week starting tomorrow. I wish I could hold you."

Alya smiled, "I wish you could too, but you're right, I'm getting tired. Night?"

He nodded, "Night," he said with a kiss and she disconnected the call.

She went to the bathroom and took the pregnancy test she'd bought earlier that day, just to be safe, since they'd been trying for the past year. She brushed her teeth and looked at her cellphone's clock waiting. She spit and finished brushing then picked up the testbegging a second line to appear but recognizing a negative test for what it was _again_. She angrily threw the test away and went to bed with Trixx, a bottle of wine and ice-cream.

¤¤¤

An hour later Tom looked at Nathalie and stopped seeing the woman who had nearly killed his daughter repeatedly as a teenager. He felt his hatred for Gabriel Agreste ramp up but kept it to himself, "So why didn't you come to us when you got back to Paris?"

Nathalie looked at him, "And what? I only look young because of constantly using a miraculous, I was 17 in 1994, how old were you?"

Tom frowned, then turned to his wife, "But you would have known."

Sabine nodded gently looking at Nathalie, "But you didn't, I should have told you sooner. If I had told you when I first figured it out you could have just come home."

Nathalie nodded, "I just thought you two were just as young as Gabriel and Emi and I knew they had enough money, not only that but I already knew that they had fostered me, Adrien said something."

Tom frowned, "Were they good to you?"

Nathalie thought about the shopping trips to Milan and the parties Emi would take her to and getting their hair and nails done. She thought about the private jet that she and Emi took to Sweden to see the women's world cup in 1995 "Because if we don't support ourselves no one will," she'd told her. She thought about _ her _ first dance as Nathalie in the arms of up and coming designer Gabriel Agreste. She smiled and held the smile for the sake of her father even though her memory quickly eroded to later that evening when she overheard Emi tell Gabriel he shouldn't dance with her, it was bad "For Nathalie," she'd said he would "intimidate the other boys away from her and Nathalie will never forgive you". Gabriel acquiesced immediately following Emilie's logic as usual "Emi knew best". At the beginning of the night she'd felt like a princess by the end she'd felt like a pariah. Nathalie looked at Tom, "The best. Emi, er Emilie and I would take trips together and Gabriel paid for me to go to some of the best schools, he set up a trust fund for me almost immediately."

Tom grunted, at least that was something, "Good, but he didn't…?" Tom let the sentence hang but his meaning was thick in the air.

Sabine looked at him with irritation, "Tom!"

Marinette a younger mirror of horror, "Papa."

Tom wouldn't be intimidated, "What? She was young and alone, look what he put her through! Now they're married I need to know."

While upset on behalf of her husband she was also touched that Tom had so quickly emotionally embraced the role of her father, "No, it was never like that, he was purely devoted to Emilie even after she died. I actually was the one who pushed for our relationship."

Sabine shook her head, "But you always loved Adrien so much."

Tom laughed, "Or Chat Noir."

Marinette's lips thinned and she took a bite of dinner

Sabine nodded, "I should have told you when you were younger."

Nathalie shook her head, "No, look it happened the way it was supposed to."

Sabine nodded sadly, "But it doesn't really feel that way does it?"

Nathalie shrugged, "But it's true, if it hadn't happened this way, Adrien would never have been born and if I had come to you then you probably never would have had me which would have created a paradox."

Sabine, Tom and Marinette looked like they were trying to follow a magical timeline in their minds but none of them liked what they were seeing and they all frowned.

Tom reached out and patted her hand, "Well you're here now Mad- Mar- Nathalie," he looked embarrassed but this was going to take some adjusting.

Nathalie nodded, it would, for her too but she had one question that she really needed to ask, one that she was embarrassed to ask but _ needed _ to know, she looked down at her nearly empty bowl of rice and softly asked, "Can I call you Maman and Papa?" 

Sabine hopped down from her chair and walked around to her and took her hands from the table, "Nathalie, you're my little Mei-Mei, of course you should call me Maman."

Nathalie nodded and hugged her mother looking at her father who was nodding his agreement, while wiping a tear from his eye.

Sabine walked back to her chair and looked at Marinette, "You've been upgraded to Jie-Jie, Marinette, congratulations."

Marinette smiled at Nathalie, "I told you I was older."

Nathalie smiled this must be what it was like to have a little sister. 

They would have stayed much later if they could have but, bakers keep baker's hours so an hour later Marinette and Nathalie were locking the side door of the bakery.

"I'm not ready to go home yet, can you stay out longer or do you need to get back?" Nathalie asked.

Marinette shook her head, "I can stay. Actually I wanted you to tell me when did you first see me? Was it at the hat contest?"

Nathalie smiled and shook her head, "No, you were nearly 3," they walked to the park in the middle of the Place de Vosges and she pointed, "and it was here actually."

"Really?" Marinette said.

Nathalie smiled remembering, "I was visiting for Adrien's birthday and took him to the park. Emi never took him to the park. She never took him anywhere. She forced him to live in this bubble of fear because she didn't want anything to happen to him."

Marinette frowned, "She just wanted what was best for him."

Nathalie turned to her and her eyes widened realizing her mistake, "I'm sorry, of course."

Marinette shook her head, "No, you can tell me."

Nathalie shook her head, "No, his memories of her should be un-tainted."

Marinette's eyes rounded with concern, "I can manage to not tell him what you tell me."

Nathalie smiled half heartedly, "it's not worth it. Anyway! I came to the park and I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't actually _ looking _ for you but that day I got lucky. When Adrien was playing under the slide in the sand he met a little brunette girl. I'd probably seen her before but since she hadn't been coming with my parents I didn't realize she was you."

Marinette's eyebrow's shot to her hairline, "I knew Adrien when I was little?"

Nathalie laughed, "'Knew' is a strong word."

Marinette laughed with her, "it's just interesting to think we met so young."

"To be honest with you, I think it's odd you didn't run into each other more."

"So what did you think?"

Nathalie laughed, "Really?"

Marinette nodded, "Really."

Nathalie hadn't been very happy with her life at the time. She lived in London at the time and the week before her boyfriend had broken up with her. She couldn't blame him, not even back then but it still hurt. "I came home for Adrien's birthday and stayed a week, when I saw you I was excited, I remember thinking, "There she is, the little idiot."

Marinette's jaw dropped, "Hey!"

Nathalie smiled, "You asked, that's what I thought." She laughed and continued, "I watched the two of you play and thought, 'it was funny that someday these two diaper wearing kids would end up married. At the time all I knew was Adrien was in Kitty Section and I assumed he would have a job with Agreste SA. I didn't know about his job with the philharmonic, or MDC and I knew that you were a designer, a big one. It was then I decided I would try to give Adrien as much of a diverse education as possible. I was the one who urged Gabriel to put Adrien in so many activities and languages especially the athletic ones, he started gymnastics when he was three.

"Me too!"

Nathalie nodded, "No doubt Maman did it for our safety."

Marinette chewed at her bottom lip, "I want to ask something but I don't want to hurt your feelings.

Nathalie smiled, "Yes, I'm your clone."

Marinette sighed with relief, "I don't understand."

"I think Bunnyx said it to keep me from panicking but I did a lot of reading up on it. Identical twins actually are clones."

Marinette frowned then opened her mouth, "Uh, mmm, hmm" she closed it then tried again, "Really?"

Nathalie nodded, "We're called 'natural clones'. Personally I think I'm just 'a clone' or 'a copy' because there was nothing natural about my creation."

Marinette frowned, "I don't think that's true either though, we're not the same. A few days ago Min-Mirai?" Marinette gestured to Nathalie, "_ You?" _

Nathalie shook her head, "Time's weird she's her, I'm me. Technically, I'm your twin she's not. At the moment. Sort of."

Marinette nodded, "Anyway a few days ago she told me the night before she tried to draw but couldn't."

Nathalie nodded, "You handled that really well, it helped a lot, she was more scared than she was showing you."

"If you were my copy, we'd be the same but we're not," Marinette said logically.

Nathalie looked skyward but didn't respond, "Maybe we should let Dr. Konte do a few tests."

Marinette frowned, that was _ not _ what she had been thinking.

Nathalie smirked, "Afraid a criminal mastermind might have the same fingerprints as you?"

Marinette blushed, "if I say you're not a criminal mastermind, it's almost an insult isn't it?"

Nathalie burst into laughter, "Let's go home, I'm sure Estelle has talked Gabriel into horror movies and ice cream topped with candy, _ if _ they're even home, she probably talked him into _ going _ someplace for ice cream."

Marinette knew how Gabriel let Estelle get away with nearly anything as long as it didn't cause her bodily harm and agreed. 

"Tomorrow she's leaving," Marinette said as they made their way down the sidewalk toward her home.

Nathalie looked up at the sky and took a deep breath, "you know the sky doesn't actually look the same everywhere on the planet but if you aren't familiar it's a comfort. I remember looking up at the sky and telling myself, it was the same sky over Paris, the same stars, at least it was the same moon."

"I just wish we could do _ something _ to help her," Marinette said.

Nathalie turned to her, "Don't. You know better, don't try and change anything."

"I won't. It's just you had so much sadness and loneliness."

Nathalie attempted to laugh it off, "Gee thanks, I didn't mean to make my life sound like a pity party."

Marinette looked down at the sidewalk watching their feet, knowing her new found sister was being sarcastic to hide the old pain because she didn't want to talk about it. Her head shot up at the sound of a high pitched squeal of delight.

When they opened the door they saw the boys standing in front of their father with Gabriel standing a meter behind him.

"Higher Adrien!" Estelle commanded as Adrien threw her in the air while his father watched looking sick.

"Sorry, it's Hugo's turn," Adrien said, setting her down and picking up his son and throwing him in the air.

¤¤¤

_ Friday around 10 am _

Alix, Luka, Marinette, Adrien, and Max gathered on the deck of _ The Arianrhod _with two huge camping backpacks, while Mirai waited in her room with hers.

"Mirai doesn't know about Alya, Alya knows she's under cover right?" Luka asked.

Marinette nodded

"Alright, then we can take her after we take Mini-er Mirai," Luka said looking at Max who nodded his agreement.

Adrien nodded his agreement, "Is anyone else going?"

Luka shook his head but looked at Adrien and Marinette for approval, "I think it would be best if we kept the party as small as possible, there's snow, we don't want different footprints."

Marinette's eyes widened, "I didn't even think of that."

"Gramma Stone, likes to pretend she knows about tracking but sometimes she says pretty smart stuff," Luka smiled referring to his Native American Grandmother's propensity for dramatic flair.

Marinette, "I wish I could have met her."

Adrien smiled he _ had _ met her when Kitty Section had a short tour in the US, "She was awesome."

Alix frowned, "She's not dead, stop talking about her like that. Marinette why don't you go get Mirai, and don't say anything you're not supposed to."

Marinette looked offended but didn't say anything to the contrary. When she got to the guest room the girl had been using she tapped at the open door, "Can I come in?"

Mirai spun away from the porthole window. 

Marinette couldn't tell what she'd been looking at and frowned, "What're you looking at."

Mirai shrugged and said in a flat voice, "Paris," but a sniff and a large tear that left a wet trail down her face belied her calm. 

Marinette walked into the room and wrapped her arms around the young woman, "You can always come home with Gabriel and Emilie."

Mirai shook her head, "No, I don't want to become Mayura. I may be a clone or twin or whatever but my memories are what make me who I am and _ I am _ Ladybug. I'm a hero, not a villain."

Marinette nodded, "don't forget your most important job isn't even being Ladybug-"

"It's being a Guardian. I know, that's why I'm going there. I'm going to find the Peacock and Butterfly, and who knows maybe I'll find other miracle boxes."

Marinette shrugged, "I suppose it's possible."

Mirai nodded, "It'll work out. I'm sorry we can't be sisters or anything like that, but I cannot come back to France."

Marinette swallowed in fear but remembered Nathalie said she was doing everything correctly according to the timeline, and not to influence her at all, "I understand. It is time to go though."

Mirai turned around and picked up the huge backpack and pulled it on over her plaid shirt. She walked over to Marinette and hugged her. "Thanks for letting go."

Marinette hugged her back tight and felt her tears fall into Mirai's high ponytail. "You're welcome," she said with half a laugh.

The group made their way to the cathedral but once they got there Mirai asked if she could have a few moments and she re-read the plaque. They knew she shouldn't but they let her anyway, knowing about the cathedral's great fire and about Agreste SA's huge contributions were things she already knew so they let her read it until they noticed she was touching the plaque reverently with tears in her eyes. That's when they realized what she was doing, she wasn't memorizing the plaque, she wasn't even memorizing Notre Dame, she was memorizing Paris and possibly France. 

Pegasus and Rabid Hare went ahead and were ready for everyone once they assembled inside the sanctuary.

When everyone caught up the two heros were already wearing the two decoy backpacks to make it look like Mirai had been hiking and camping with her parents and they had been lost in the Himalayas.

Pegasus held his hand out to her, "Ready?"

Mirai who'd already hugged and kissed everyone at least once, nodded and put her hand in his, "Ready."

Rabid Hare turned his back to them and called, "Burrow," then stepped in and invited Mirai and Pegasus in with the cane end of his umbrella and smiled at Alix, "See you in a second," then leaned back allowing the burrow to close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please comment, I always respond. Bookmark to get an email when this story is updated or subscribe so you get an email when any of my stories are uploaded as they are all from the same timeline.
> 
> A quick shout out to everyone who has commented or left kudos on any of my stories, if you have written a story in any fandom I'm familiar with or an original story I have tried to read at least one story from everyone (I'm certain that I did)! Thanks for the comments and kudos but WOW you guys are great writers too! Keep up the good work you guys, a lot of you are in the middle of some really great stories I bookmarked you all, I can't wait to see what's next!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mirai and Alya finally make it to Tibet! Alya is hoping her lack of children is because she has a Miraculous but Trixx thinks it might be something different. Mirai sets up her new home in the old temple.

Mirai held the cane handle of the umbrella with a death grip, she'd never make that mistake again, not that she believed  _ she _ had made it the first time but the mistake had certainly affected her life. She smiled softly, Chat Noir would have laughed at the pun. She swallowed and held Pegasus' hand with her other hand.

Suddenly a portal opened and Lu-no-Rabid Hare was walking through pulling them by the umbrella. Mirai looked around the transept and realized it was the original, what she was used to and she quickly walked to the nave to see the rest of the cathedral and felt a calm settle over her at the familiar patterns and colors.

Rabid walked up behind her, "more familiar?"

"I wish I could see everything one more time before I go but I can't, can I?"

Rabid shook his head and untied Mirai's coat from the top of her backpack after helping her out of the large aparatas. "No, but this is the  _ time _ you'll be living in, you're more than welcome to come back."

Mirai shook her head, "No, I will stay in Tibet and be a guardian to the peacock and butterfly, once I find them. I'll protect them from intruders and the Agrestes," she said pulling her coat on then looking at both men she noticed they were wearing modified uniforms, their kwami's must have taken something for the cold.

Rabid looked at Pegasus and softly shook his head when Mirai didn't see him, "I understand, but unfortunately we have to go straight to Tibet," he said while Pegasus opened a portal and a blast of snow blew into the nave.

"All aboard!" Pegasus teased, Mirai struggled into the backpack then she and Rabid Hare walked through the portal into what seemed like another world.

Mirai huddled into herself, "Wow, it's cold."

The two men stood oblivious to the temperature with their suit's help but earlier in the week they had experienced it's lethal cold.

Pegasus nodded, "It is, let's find you a good place to live," he said walking toward the ruins of the old temple he'd visited with Marinette many times.

As they made their way through the maze of crumbled walls and flooded pits that used to be rooms Mirai got a sense of devastation Master Fu must have felt when he saw what he had done.

"I think I found something!" Came Rabid's voice from the left. 

Mirai and Pegasus followed his voice to a long chamber being held up by many thick sturdy pillars. The room had several alters and places for fires. There were no external openings, Rabid was right, this room would be perfect as a place to live. Mirai nodded, "This is good," she said and began unhooking the straps holding the backpack steady on her shoulders.

Pegasus looked to Rabid, "Don't you want to look around more?"

Mirai shook her head, "I will but this looks like it will be home," she said hunting for matches, quickly building a fire in the only pit that was both dry and had coal in it. "Um, can I ask you for some help finding resources? It looks like they burned coal not wood, so it must be stored someplace but with your miraculous it would be really easy to cut some wood for fires if we can't find any."

Pegasus nodded, "No problem."

Together they hunted but found no coal that was not ruined so Rabid and Pegasus set about cutting wood while Mirai attempted to cut wood with the camp hatchets Julika and Luka had bought earlier in the week. After building a substantial pile they took them back to the room and the two men left the girl.

As soon as they were gone she set about building the other fires. She'd collected snow while the two hero's had collected wood and noticed it was melting without even being on the fire and took her coat off surprised by how warm the room was. Once the room was fully habitable and she fixed one of the many dehydrated camp meals Julika had purchased for her to eat until she learned to feed herself. She set about laying out her bedding and pulled out her knitting needles and knitted in the lonely night trying to ignore the echoing sobs filling the lonely room until she fell asleep in an exhausted heap of lonely, desolate tears.

¤¤¤

Trixx woke up in his little cave he'd made ages ago with Alya and Ladybug and floated out to Alya surprised to find her still asleep so late in the day. "Alya? Come on, we have stuff to do," he said sitting on her shoulder.

Alya groaned and slowly sat up, "Alright, I'm awake anyway, I was just thinking," she said honestly her eyes puffy and red rimmed.

Trixx frowned, Alya wasn't a kit anymore and he knew she and Nino wanted a baby but this was the first time he'd found her this upset. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Alya shook her head, "Not unless you have some magical cure to why everyone that wants kids has them but we still don't. Even though we've been together the longest," on the word together her voice broke and she had to swallow to continue.

Trixx shook his head, "I'm sorry Alya, I don't have any magic for that. Before you ask I don't think Wayzz does either."

Alya's eyes remained dry. Red rimmed, and swollen from the previous night's crying, but dry nonetheless, looked thoughtful, "Is it  _ because _ , we're both Chosen?"

Trixx shook his head, slowly but thought about it, he'd never had a Vixen or Reynard married to another miraculous holder, maybe it  _ was _ his fault, "I don't think so."

Alya looked to her kwami, "Trixx? I'm not blaming you, I don't think it's your fault."

Trixx frowned, he didn't think she had… until now. "I can talk to Wa-"

"No!"

"Okay, Sass?"

Alya nodded, "Okay, he's like you guy's leader right?"

Trixx shrugged, "Not really but sort of. He's very knowledgeable."

Alya got out of bed and nodded, "Alright, when I go over, see if you can talk to him for me please."

Trixx snuggled under her hair, against her neck, "Okay, let's get going then."

An hour later Alya thanked the taxi driver for his help with her heavy backpack and generously tipped him. Before she even set foot on the deck toward  _ The Arianrhod  _ she could hear Kitty Section. She reached for her cellphone and pulled out the archaic palm pilot the Couffain siblings had surprised her with. She smiled, it really was one of the most thoughtful gifts she'd ever received she thought with a smirk and looked at the clock: 15:12. Yeah, this was when they practiced. Alya walked toward the boat and knocked uselessly and let herself in and walked downstairs finding Alix laying on her sofa with her eyes closed and her feet on the arm rest. "Sorry, I let myself in," Alya said gently so she wouldn't scare her friend.

Alix swiveled around and sat up smiling but it didn't quite reach her eyes, "Alya!"

"Hey, don't get up!" she said when Alix leaned forward and began struggling to push herself out of the sofa that had somehow become quicksand over the past few months.

Alix flopped back and flashed her two thumbs up and sighed, "Today sucks."

Alya nodded, "I know the feeling," she said looking around.

Alix noticed, "Marinette left. She said to call her when you came though."

Alya shook her head, "No, I'll be back today anyway right?"

Alix shrugged, "It's up to you, if you want we can bring you back later so it balances and you don't have to wait for Nino."

Alya hadn't really thought of that possibility but before she could say anything Alix continued.

"You can just tell Luka when you want to come back to."

Alya had felt Trixx fly away when she walked down the stairs and knew he was probably with Sass so she coudn't as her opinion. "Doesn't the time thing drive you crazy?"

Alix laughed, "No, I know when I am that's all that matters. I have no idea how you function when you will have a bunch of illusions going around you, especially once you were able to make numerous types of illusions."

Alya shrugged hammering footfalls came down the steps, then Ivan appeared, when he saw Alya he seemed startled, "Oh! Hey! Everyone's been waiting for you," he must have thought what he said was rude because he backtracked, "uh, I mean, we started practice, if that's okay."

Alya smiled, "No, I'm sorry, this is your normal time, I should have come before now."

A moment later several feet followed and the entire band came down. Apparently being adults did not stop them from raiding  _ a _ Couffaine kitchen.  _ Poor Alix _ , Alya thought,  _ I wonder if her grocery bill can be written off as a business expense. _

Luka saw Alya and smiled, "Hey, Max had to go, there was an accident, he'll be back after the surgery."

Rose waved to Alya then plopped down next to Alix. Julika hurried to the refrigerator and brought her yogurt and water then hovered around her huge wife like a mother hen.

Alya looked away feeling the stir of jealousy in the pit of her stomach she nodded, "alright."

Adrien appeared before her and handed her a glass of water, "excited to live in another time?"

She smiled up at him, "It'll be an adventure, that's for sure."

Two hours later practice was over but the band was still there along with Mylene and Marinette when Max ran down the stairs, "Sorry!"

Alix looked up, "What is the point of having a door?"

Max grinned, "You live on a boat, you could always pull away from the dock."

Luka smiled, "Don't give her any ideas."

Alya suddenly felt jittery in spite of their teasing, "did you want to relax a lit-"

Max shook his head, "Nope!" He grinned broadly, "I have a date."

Everyone who'd been watching the screen instead of looking suddenly looked at him.

It was Mylene who spoke up, "Oh?"

Max smiled mysteriously, "Yes, so let's get going. Kaalki transform me."

Alix shrugged, she already knew Max wasn't going to say anything until he felt comfortable in the situation. 

Twenty minutes later Alya found herself in a chilly mountain region with her friends.

Rabid pointed to her right, "Mirai's that way see the crumbled building?"

Alya nodded, she'd chosen not to transform because she had wanted Trixx's company more than the heat her suit could provide.

Pegasus nodded, "after we dropped her off we made a rough map of the area," he said unzipping his pocket and handing her a paper.

Rabid began walking.

Pegasus pointed, "That will be the perfect place for you to set up your temporary home."

When they got to the hut the trio made quick work of setting up a livable situation for Alya then the two left.

Alya looked at Trixx, "Well, what did Sass say?"

Trixx shook his head, "I'm sorry Alya, according to Sass being a chosen doesn't have anything to do with it. But I thought about it. Did you know foxes only have children certain times a year, maybe it's the same for you?

  
  



	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NEW CHAPTER
> 
> Hello Emilie Agreste! Meet up and coming designer Gabriel Agreste. The Gabriel before Hawk Moth, Nooroo, Adrien or Duusu, why is he the way he is? You'll meet Argus and get his backstory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ONE CHAPTER LEFT! Then a new story will be about Nathalie's life after this.

1994

"Madam, you must underst-"

"No!" Emilie yelled into the phone feeling her heart beating wildly and her nose tingle with the oncoming of tears, "You understand! I am under contract as Leticia! The titular character!"

The woman on the other end sighed, she was tired of having to deal with this if the higher-ups wanted to change someone's part they should break it to the actors themselves. "Madam-"

"Stop calling me that, like I have a foot in the grave!" Emile yelled.

The woman on the other end inhaled sharply, "Madam Agreste, I apologize your part has been redesignated to Juliette Renoir. Your contract did not state you were Leticia it states you have a prime role. As it is stated, M. DeVries would like you to read for Delphi-"

Emilie gasped between clenched teeth, it was her worst nightmare come true, "What!?"

"For the part of Delphine."

"I heard you," Emilie said softly, "you want to take my part away and give it to some ingenue and then insult me by giving me the part of her _ mother! _ ** _Her mother!_ ** My lawyer will be calling you within the hour! How dare you," she said and slammed the phone into its cradle feeling the tears soaking her blouse. 

"Emie?" Gabriel's voice came from downstairs in the small yet lavish city apartment. She heard his steady footsteps and hurried to find a tissue to clean herself up, she hated for him to see her anything less than perfect. A knock came, "Emie?"

"Come in?" 

The door slowly opened and she realized she didn't want to see him. He was a mountain of a man in plaid, stripes and shredded loose-fitting jeans but she was tired of seeing him. She hated seeing him. She loved him without a doubt… But… She felt a gasp of pain and she closed her eyes, but she couldn't look at him. 

"Emilie? What happened?" Gabriel asked, confused.

Holding her soft handkerchief to her face to catch her tears her entire face was covered but he clearly heard her say, "Don't look at me, I'm old and ugly."

_ Beware of wives who tell you they're ugly, it's a trick young man. _ Argus's voice spoke in Gabriel's mind.

Gabriel had been with his partner since he was 16 and knew Argus could hear his thoughts if they were directed to him so he replied, _ she doesn't play tricks so why does she think she's old and why would she ever think she was ugly? _

Argus groaned, which would have been understandable _ if _ he had a body but he did not, _ Who understands women? You're starting to talk like those new age people you work with. Put your head on straight. _

"You're talking to _ him _ again aren't you?" Emilie said in a soft voice

Gabriel focused on her guiltily he knew she didn't like not knowing what they were talking about but there was no way for her to hear Argus. "Yes, he was just giving me some advice that reminded me he is indeed the Argus from mythology, who's been dead for thousands of years," Gabriel said walking to the escritoire Emilie chose to use rather than a desk while the old hotel across from the Place du Chatelet was being renovated for their new home.

Emilie had thought about this thousands of times but she never spoke of it. She knew she would become old and die and he would remain forever in his prime. She'd always known it but it wasn't until today she had been forced to see it was happening.

She'd known Gabriel since she was a teenager when the handsome young man came to her village selling oriental rugs. That had been in the spring of 1967 when she turned 17, for such a handsome man he was incredibly shy. He kept away from everyone but she wore him down and eventually convinced him to join her at the disco. It had been magical in her opinion. They'd danced and danced. At the end of the night, he escorted her home as if he were the Prince of Monaco and she was Princess Grace. When they got to her home she smiled and waited for her evening kiss but it never came. He leaned forward and grasped her hand and shyly asked if he could see her again. She told him she would like that and they agreed to meet again. That evening she and her sister had squealed the night away. 

She fell in love with Gabriel that spring. His pale, platinum gold locks and ice blue eyes set in unlikely golden skin, he had his own weaving business. At 25 he already was successful and she knew he was the perfect man for her but once October came he left. He went back to Turkey he said that was where the rugs and his factory were.

However, the next year he came back.

And the next

When she was 19 they'd married.

When she was 20 they'd moved to France. Being from Fribourg, Switzerland, French was her first language, aside from the ridiculous way the French counted, it had been an easy transition. Gabriel had been the one who suffered. But ever the gracious wife she had helped him. She remembered one situation clearly. A hotelier had come to him about buying rugs. She'd told him she would help him, he was hopeless in these situations. He'd laughed and she helped him through the transaction. In the end, the hotel had one of Gabriel's rugs in every room. It was there in Marseille where she'd been discovered at the surprisingly late age of 28. But by then Gabriel had already told her his secret, he would not age, and she knew it was true because she noticed while she had grown from a girl to a young woman to a full-fledged woman he had stayed as he was always the same man.

She told him she couldn't let this opportunity go. He told her he couldn't be discovered, he couldn't be seen and he absolutely could not have his picture taken. She told him she loved him desperately but she was going to Paris and that was final. They hadn't spoken to one another for two days. She packed and he'd brooded, finally, he came out of his workroom and told her he would join her in a few months. And join her he did. He'd reinvented himself. He'd always enjoyed creating clothing. He said that men's fashion had become stagnant and needed flair. No, where else in the world made men dress like unmarked boxes the way Europeans and people of European descent did. The day he joined her in Paris he came directly to the set of the movie she had been working on and he'd worn leather pants with a bright orange sweater threaded with leather string and told her he was going to design school. She would have laughed if everyone around her hadn't fallen in love with him immediately. The wife of her director fell in love with him instantly and introduced him to her father. M. Sartre was intrigued by his daughter's excitement and met with Gabriel. After speaking with him and seeing his designs and his skills with weaving and sewing M. Sartre contacted his alma mater Studio Bercot and pulled a few strings getting Gabriel accepted 2 weeks into the semester. That had begun their life long friendship with the Bourgeois family. Anton… her eyes narrowed, why hadn't he called himself? If he was going to replace her with some… some fluffy little girl he could have at least called her himself.

"Emie?" Gabriel brought her attention back.

She looked up, amazingly fresh-faced, "Hmm?"

Gabriel looked confused by her lack of concentration and repeated himself, "I told you, you're neither old or ugly, who said such things to you?"

Emilie sighed, "I feel that way, they gave my part to someone younger and gave me the part of her mother."

Gabriel nodded, "I see," he thought about it, "Well if that is-" 

_ DO NOT AGREE With their decision Gabriel! _yelled Argus in his mind, but knowing how often Argus was wrong about women and feminism and Emilie's "can do" attitude he ignored it.

"is going to be what is best for ratings and will help a new actress isn't that what you want too?" he offered earnestly.

Emilie's eyes turned to fire and he knew this was one of the few times Argus was correct.

"No?"

"No. You see I was given that part and if I play the mother I will take a pay cut, and I will be showing every other producer or director that I will play a mother and I will slowly be replaced. I am not ready to be replaced, Gabriel. Do you understand now? Gabriel?"

Gabriel nodded once, "So are you going to quit this movie in protest?"

Emilie leaned back and crossed her arms over her perfectly proportioned still pert breasts, "You know, I should. But, no, I will fight this."

Gabriel nodded, "Emilie, two years ago you said you wanted to start a family if you don't do a movie we could do that instead."

Emilie smiled brightly. She _ did _ want children, beautiful blue-eyed blond babies, green-eyed girls, and blue-eyed boys but right now would not work. _ If not now when? You're 45! _ Her mother's voice berated her, in her mind. "Right now isn't ideal Gabriel."

Gabriel nodded but didn't say anything. Finally, he gave one last curt nod then turned for the door. The idea of children was Emilie's. He hadn't wanted any, the idea of watching his children age and die seemed horrific and he didn't think he could handle the pain of it. Argus had told him there was no guarantee giving his fibula away would restart his aging process, he'd never been around a former owner after they'd passed on the fibula. However Emilie had worn him down, constantly begging him and crying and fits he could handle almost anything but when her tears turned to frustration he didn't know what to do and eventually he agreed, one child or pregnancy since she was a twin, who knew they might have more. His agreement was enough to pacify her but that was the end of it. No plans had been made and that had been ten years ago. Of course, that had been a difficult time. So, many of their friends had been demonized. Their priorities had shifted. France hadn't been so bad but everywhere needed more AIDS research and information-correct information out to the masses. He shook his head, so many deaths, so many fantastic designers had been refused work, loans, or even completely blacklisted so much hate because of misinformation and fear. But that was then, now things looked so much better. By 2000 everyone should be equal, was what everyone was saying in the studio recently. The future was looking better every day. This was actually the best time to have a child. But, Gabriel frowned thinking of an old man in the back of a flying car surrounded by his family… thinking the old man was his child chilled him. If Emilie didn't want children maybe it was for the best. He sighed and walked over to the dress form he was pinning bubble wrap to before he heard Emilie screaming.

"Gaby?" Emilie's soft voice came from the other side of the door, followed by a squeak of hinges as she timidly walked in.

Gabriel looked at her, she looked so tiny and sad, "What has happened?"

Emilie shook her head softly her blond waves gently bouncing and her eyes ready to overflow, "I'm scared, Gaby," she said and hurried to him putting herself between him and the dress form.

Gabriel wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her head at a soothing tempo, "What of?"

"Dying," she whispered.

Gabriel stiffened.

Emilie whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck, "You think I'm weak, and a liar because you told me the truth before we married and I said we would be fine but I was a little girl, I didn't know. I didn't know Gabriel, I'm getting old, I'm not going to be able to have children, or be a young woman forever for you. Soon we'll walk down the street and people will think I'm _ your _ mother. Then they'll think I'm your _ grandmother _!" she sobbed.

Gabriel held his stunning wife not understanding any of what she was saying. She still looked young to him. _ Argus? _

_ Gabriel, don't. This doesn't make sense to me. Give me time or figure it out on your own. I've never had a partner who's been in this situation. _ He'd had plenty of warriors who'd married or outlived their spouses and loved ones but something about Emilie didn't feel right. She always seemed to set up the pieces perfectly so she knew how everything would fall. Gabriel had yet to figure out his wife was a master manipulator but Argus had and he had become weary of her.

"Emilie, I don't care what other people think, only you."

Emilie took a shuddering breath, "I'm not you, Gabriel Agreste, _ I _ care. _ I _care what people think when I walk down the street, I care how I look, I care if they know who I am, I care if they know me. I care if they think I'm pretty or not and I care if they think I'm old. This is why you don't understand people Gabriel. This is why I have to do all the work for Gabriel Brand to succeed while you get to play with the pretty fabric. You have no idea how to connect with people. When you talk to people you make them feel worse," she said and pushed away knocking the dress form over and hurried away from the room slamming the door closed behind her.

~ ~ ~

Gabriel bent over and picked up the heavy dress form.

"Why is she so angry?" Gabriel said out loud.

_ She said she's scared. Scared people do crazy shit. Scared women do even crazier shit. Have you ever seen a woman give birth? They're usually scared and pissed, scared and pissed is a scary combination on women. They were warriors too in my time and wow, they were so scary, especially when things looked hopeless because that's when we all got scared but… whew, when women get scared they get crazy and mean, I once saw an Illyrian woman tear a man's head off in the middle of battle. _

"I never know what to believe. Historians say that women in your time were subservient."

Roman_ woman, not _ all _ women. Illyrian women were warriors, Spartan women controlled everything only Romans, Greeks and Macedonians weakened their women. Clipped their wings, broke their spirits and acted like they had done something special, did you know Romans didn't even give their daughters their own names? If I had a body I'd spit Gabriele! _

Gabriel groaned, only Argus still called him by his birth name.

"That's ridiculous, my mother would never have been descended from such women," Gabriel said weaving several six-pack rings together to make "petals" around the top of a 1-liter bottle to cover the dress form's left "breast". "You're just so old you've become nostalgic."

Argus would have rolled his eyes if he had them. Unlike the stories in mythology he did _ not _ have a hundred eyes, he hadn't even had three, he'd only had the standard two. Also unlike the stories he had not been Io's guard, sent to keep Zeus away by order of Hera after Io and Zeus had fallen in love. 

Io was _ his _ wife, they had fled after Zeus had tried to rape her. Zeus like he and many others were not human-like the majority of people or even their parents. "Homosapiens" he'd heard a scholar say once, he corrected himself, he had been _ human _, his wife had said to him, just different, he had not been a "Homosapiens". He and people like him were born with extraordinary strength, some had the ability to communicate telepathically, some had been telekinetic, many had forms of clairvoyance, and even mind control. All over the world, people like him had been born with these abilities and Homosapiens and their predecessors Homoneandertal even more so had found them incredible. Either incredibly terrifying or incredibly beautiful or even awe-inspiring, but there were no in-betweens they were viewed as monsters or gods. 

Argus had been born with spots on his body, as he grew his parents knew he must be one of those scary children, but unlike so many of them, he didn't show any outward sign of ability. He couldn't control anyone, and he couldn't see the future, he couldn't do anything useful. That had been his belief. At birth, he'd been viewed as a monster but his village was small and his family beloved so he'd been fortunate enough to be given the benefit of the doubt. Only as a very small child was he ridiculed for his spotted skin but as he got older no one treated him any differently. Like his father, he was a shipbuilder. In his village, he'd lived a quiet life. Due to his skin, he rarely left his home but nearby the king of Argos requested three ships built from every yard. When it was time to deliver the ships his father's health was failing so Argus had to make the trip alone. When he arrived at King Inachus's stronghold there were men from all over, with boats and ships of all sizes. The King was surprisingly kind and spoke with every shipwright. Ultimately his ships were deemed high quality but other ships better so he was not contracted to make the fleet. He had been grateful, he had no resources to create a fleet of ships. 

During his trip to Argos he stayed aboard his ship, the first morning there he searched until he found a private bit of stream for his morning ablutions and undressed. Normally, he wore robes hiding his entire body except his head and fingers, so he would not have to deal with questions or worse threats on his life. That morning he never expected to see a woman. Her hair was shorn except for a few long snakes like locks winding around her head the color of fire. Her eyes had black smudged around them making the green incredibly vivid, and she had little thumbprints of brown on her cheeks. In her arms she carried a large basket overflowing with cloth, she promptly dropped when she saw his body. She quickly bent and picked up the basket then walked to the water with a haughty air and set about washing. That was how he met his wife, Io. A simple human woman who had been a washerwoman in the household of the King Inachus. She'd been a Helot slave who had been illegally sold to the king. She told him later the king let her watch after he'd paid for her, then he killed the man for breaking the law of selling Helots. The king kept the money but gave Io her freedom and the title of Spartan. She laughed and told him only a child would believe a King from a different kingdom could change her lot in life from Helot to Spartan! 

Argus, who'd been timid around strangers ducked into the stream when he first met her, was surprised when she laughed at him. 

"It's too late to hide them, Monster," Io had giggled.

Argus spent the morning with the woman. Falling in love with her. 

After the contest was over and a shipwright named Poseidon had been chosen. Argus chose to stay, the shipwright was a good man so he helped him and his crew make the fleet of ships. As the seasons changed he knew he needed to go back to his village but he didn't want to leave the beautiful nymph-like human behind. He asked Io to marry him and she agreed. They were married within a few days. It coincided with a visit from Poseidon's brother, a politician from the mainland named Zeus. He was a huge man who seemed to always know everything, he was too handsome and felt entitled to anything he desired. Unfortunately, Io fell into that category. 

Argus went to Poseidon seeking advice.

~ ~ ~

"I've seen them," Poseidon said standing on the deck of the ship they were testing for leaks, they had finished that afternoon. 

"Seen what?" Argus asked hoping he didn't mea-

Poseidon looked toward the moon and pointed to the open water and the ship shot forward as if on a wave, then Argus realized they were _ on _ a wave. "Don't hide," Poseidon said calmly.

"I'm not hiding anything!" Argus answered in a panic.

Poseidon seemed bored but slowed the ship with only his mind, "I've seen your arms."

"They're just spots, I don't have any abilities," Argus yelled, even though he'd led a peaceful life it had been filled with anxiety that lives on the other side of the door. The anxiety of the unknown. When you just don't know what will happen to you if you reveal your truth to each new person. "I can't protect myself that's why I don't let anyone see them! I don't have anything but the marks! Look at you! Men and women look at you because you're beautiful but they don't know what you can do! You can call the sea! You could kill a thousand men!"

"But I wouldn't," Poseidon said.

"But you could!"

"But I wouldn't…" Poseidon sighed, "Do you believe in something more? Like gods?"

"It's hard to believe in gods when people think you are one," Argus admitted.

Poseidon nodded, "But, something?" he said pointing to the moon, "She watches even in the day, you know, I've seen her."

Argus still afraid, nodded, "but she isn't even there everyday in a cycle."

Poseidon shook his head with a wicked smile, "She's there, she's just hiding, like a spy seeing if you are going to do something wrong because she's not watching. Like a mother who's given you a rule then walks around the corner but still listens. She's still there, sometimes you can even see her shadow."

Argus thought about it. It wasn't that far fetched. "You think she's a goddess?"

Poseidon shrugged, "I think the great creator lives there."

Argus' eyes sprung wide, "What?"

"I believe there is someone or something who is wise, who created us all and knows more than we do."

"Then why are we different?"

Poseidon shrugged, "We _ need _ to be."

Argus snorted, "Right, I need to look like a spotted dog man."

Poseidon laughed, "They actually look like feathers from this bird I've seen in the south, a _ taos _ the Etruscans call them. Maybe a bit like animal eyes. They're actually interesting, can I see them?"

Argus frowned, he didn't like talking about his spots, he certainly didn't like showing them, but Poseidon was his friend. He unclipped his _ chlamys _cloak and began unfastening the fibulae he used to prevent his Himation from moving when the cloth dropped to the deck he stood naked in the moonlight. For some reason, he felt free. He'd never shown his marks to another person like himself before.

"Are you sure they don't _ do _ anything?" Poseidon asked

"They're spots!" Argus countered, "What are they supposed to do?"

"Can I touch them?" Posidon asked.

Argus frowned, he didn't like being touched. No, that wasn't true. Only four people had ever really touched him, his parents, Io and himself. He looked at Poseidon suspiciously, he'd come here for his help, but right now he felt cornered, "Actu-"

Poseidon leaned forward and poked a spot on Argus' left pectoral and he gasped.

In a moment he thought he, no that wasn't right… he frowned.

Poseidon looked at him expectantly, "Well? Anything?"

Argus looked at Poseidon, "huh?"

Poseidon poked another spot.

Argus stepped back, this time he was sure, he was seeing things happening someplace else. He saw his mother putting broth in a bowl for his father the first time. The second time he saw the King discussing what he wanted for dinner. "Sight," was all he managed to say.

Poseidon whose finger was poised to poke at another spot stopped, "that's good, can you find your way back and see in one of the places again?"

Argus thought about his mother and saw her spooning soup into his father's mouth and he gasped, his father was dying. "My father's dying."

Poseidon nodded, "I thought you might be like me."

Argus frowned, focusing on him, "What do you mean?"

"When we were born Zeus and our brother Aidoneus were all born looking normal but within a few days it was easy to see they had…" Poseidon pursed his lips with a sour look on his face but gestured with his hand.

"Gifts?" Argus offered helpfully.

"Generous are you?" Poseidon laughed, "Alright, we could call them gifts... or curses. Aidoneus could turn himself completely invisible. My mother couldn't find him for most of a day until he began screaming from hunger. Zeus' ability nearly killed our father. He crawled into the cook fire and wouldn't come out. Flames have no effect on him."

Argus suddenly realized he'd made a mistake looking for an ally in Zeus' brother. He should have realized it when Poseidon pulled the boat away from land. He took a shuddering breath, "And you?"

"Nothing."

Argus looked at the water, then back to the man, "What?"

"I was like you."

"It seems some of us need someone to, I don't know _ charge, _ their power?"

"But you had your brothers."

"Yes, and I shared a womb with them," he grumbled then sighed, "I've oft thought that was the reason their powers didn't awaken mine, we'd grown together. When I was a young man I met a man named Bindu. He just put his hand on my shoulder and my whole world changed."

Argus thought of his father and found him asleep but somehow was also able to clearly see Poseidon. He felt that somehow it should be nauseating, or disconcerting but it didn't, it felt natural. He was able to concentrate on everything Poseidon said and watch his father who was falling asleep while the mother took the bowl back to the harth. He decided he'd try to add the other vision he'd seen, the King. He tried while listening to Poseidon talk about Bindu and watching his father sleep he saw the king clap and turn to his advisor.

"He's very good isn't he?" the king said.

The advisor nodded.

Poseidon smiled and poked at another spot on his arm. 

Suddenly he saw them but from another angle as if he were standing on the other side of the boat, he turned his head but no one was standing there, it was most peculiar. It seemed he could see all these places all at once and concentrate on them simultaneously. He spun back to Poseidon. "I can see so many places!"

Poseidon laughed, "I _ knew _ they did _ something!" _

"Go on then what happened to you?" Argus urged pointing to another spot.

Poseidon laughed a deep roaring laugh and poked it bringing forth a new sight, it was them again from a new angle. "That night we had soup for dinner and when Zeus teased me for having no powers... he starved."

Argus laughed while watching them from multiple directions, "When did you let him eat again?"

"Oh, he ate that night, root vegetables and such, but he drank nothing. He refused to apologize, so I refused to let water pass his lips."

Argus laughed but the idea scared him, Poseidon had a terrifying power, maybe that was why he wasn't born with it. But why didn't Argus have his at birth?

Poseidon poked several spots at random reading Argus' fear. "I'm not like my brother. I might have been if it had not been for the way he treated us growing up."

Argus nodded slowly, watching a desert with mountains and snow, a landscape he had never seen before appear before him as he watched Poseidon walk around him. Amazing! He didn't have to turn around yet he was able to watch the man closely behind his back, "Do you think that the reason you didn't have active power was that your power was stronger?"

Poseidon touched a spot on his scapula then looked at the moon, "What do you think."

Argus wondered if he knew he was looking right at him. He 'closed that eye' not wanting to look at such sadness in his friend's face and told him the truth, "I believe in logic, and it makes the most sense but as far as power goes seeing does not seem very powerful, compared to someone who can walk in fire or kill someone by not allowing them to drink."

Poseidon shook his head with a frown, he'd been a little afraid to share that story but thought Argus knew him well enough to know he wouldn't hurt someone that way. But was he so childish he didn't understand his own power? "You have the ability to see all, know all, Argus Panoptes, the All-Seeing, that is true power, stronger than brute strength."

Argus laughed mirthlessly, "Who will keep me alive against brute strength?"

"The people you will save with your vision," Poseidon replied matter of factly. 

Argus frowned, he was right then he gasped when Poseidon touched another spot and he suddenly saw another man reclining on a large stone bench covered in fur, wearing sandals, two men, three women and nothing else… except a fertility necklace worn after marriage and a crown of feathers. It was the second king he was given privy to view. Was Poseidon right?

Poseidon unknowing of what Argus was seeing continued, "I know, or I hope, it's not your way, but theoretically, you could even use what you see against people. Start and end wars even," Poseidon trailed off poking several spots in a row across Argus's rear and thighs.

Argus gasped as several visions showed up at once and yelled, "Too many!"

Poseidon who was at the back of his knees now stopped, "Sorry!" he said but noticed something shocking, "did you stop looking or something?"

Argus _ did, _'close those eyes', "Yes. Why?"

Poseidon watched stood up and backed away from him. 

Argus looked closely at the spots on his buttocks, with his sight next to Poseidon, they were smaller. One by one he closed the visions around the world except for the ones on the boat and saw all his spots shrink and he gasped, it was if they actually were eyes and they were screwing themselves shut tight.

Poseidon leaned down and reverently touched the last spots on his friend's calves and said softly, "they're eyes. Really eyes."

Argus couldn't find words he just nodded.

Poseidon walked back to face Argus and looked at him, "I don't understand why I had to touch each one, Bindu just put his hand on my shoulder. I tried that the first time I saw your skin."

Argus remembered all the times Poseidon had rested his arm on his shoulder or patted him on the top of his head or even grasped his hand. So that had been his intention. At least he didn't have to worry about breaking his heart. He frowned remembering the reason he needed to speak with his friend, "I don't know how I can ever thank you for this but, I must ask more of you."

Poseidon nodded, "Zeus."

Argus bent to pull his clothing back on, "Yes. He has decided he wants Io."

Poseidon groaned, "Then Io he shall have."

Argus frowned, "I thought I could ask your help."

Poseidon turned away from him and walked to the helm of the ship then looked up, "I've wondered a 1000 times why I was born without a gift when they were and eventually I realized it was because I needed wisdom. Only a wise man should be able to conquer the sea, and you have no idea what I can do to the land. That is why I believe there is someone more powerful than us, someone, smarter, at least I hope so because… I don't want to be it." Poseidon said softly.

Argus slowly tried to figure out which eyes would allow him to see Poseidon's face. When he finally saw him, Argus was stunned to see tears on the huge man's face. "You don't want to be what?"

"I don't want to be the most powerful entity. I don't even want the powers I have."

"You have more than one ability? What about Zeus?" Argus prompted him, hoping to distract him from his misery.

"Him too, all three of us. Zeus can do anything with the weather but he cannot do anything with the water, and if he makes a storm the water is mine. It made trying to fight with our powers difficult for him."

"What about your other brother?"

"Aidoneus? Aides, is below the earth, caves, and rock but even more so anything of value he can feel, smell and even call, copper, bronze, silver even gold, lapis, amethyst, turquoise anything, little rocks come up at his bidding. His wife wears a necklace made of gems as big as a baby's fist and as pink as a virgin's blush. I've never seen such gems before or since he picked them up."

"Aides? Your brother is Hades? The richest man in the world! But they say he's…"

Poseidon turned around with a smile playing about his lips, "Crazy? He's not, he really _ does _ speak to the dead."

Argus frowned.

Poseidon lifted his hand and a water spout shot up skyward, "They live in the ground after all."

"But you said you did something to the ground."

Poseidon let the spout drop and nodded, "if I pull all the water from the land I can rip it apart"

Argus shook his head, was there no place safe from these brothers?

"I know what you're thinking, 'Those brothers are terrifying',"

Argus gasped and backed away.

Poseidon shook his head and reached forward, "no, no, I can't read your mind! Actually, none of us can. That is what I'm trying to explain to you. You and I didn't get our gifts because we needed to learn to live without them so we would be wise enough to know how and when was the appropriate way and time to use them."

Argus nodded, "So you won't help me."

Poseidon hung his head in shame, "I just don't see a way _ to _ help you. When it comes to women Zeus takes who he pleases, and no one has ever stood in his way."

"Can you hide us?"

"I can never know where you go, we may not be able to read other people's minds but we have always been connected. Do not put your wife at risk by telling me where you go."

Argus nodded, "Is there anything else I should know?" As he said the words the ship sped toward the docks.

"You should leave tonight," go as far as possible. I will give you money, think of it as a wedding gift.

Late that night Argus left Poseidon's ship after a heartfelt goodbye and went to his own ship surprised to find a sleepy Io in the small cabin. She sat up with a smile. 

He leaned down and kissed her before she could say anything and whispered, "We're leaving tonight."

Io's smile faded, "but, King Inachus could help us," she pleaded.

Argus frowned and shook his head sadly, "no one can help us. I spoke with Poseidon, they're brothers. He told me as much as he could but he said the best we can do is run away until I learn to use my powers."

Io looked confused, "Powers?" Argus removed his clothes and stood before here with the shrunken spots.

Io looked at them confused, "They're smaller."

Argus tried to remember which eye was where but he didn't know that yet aside from remembering his father was on his pectoral and Inachus was his shoulder. He looked in on his father, then Inachus and Io gasped.

"What happened?!"

"They're eyes! I can see far away places, I can look at many places at the same time and it is amazing!"

A small smile crept back onto Io's face and she leaned forward and pulled him back to the pallet and kissed him. "Congratulations husband, you are officially a real monster not a pretend one," she kissed him again so he knew she was teasing him.

He hugged her close then kissed the brown suns on her cheeks, "We're going to Illyria."

She nodded, she'd heard of the Illyrian barbarians but anyone would be better than Zeus, "now?"

Argus nodded and then pulled away and wrapped his Himation without pinning it no longer as afraid to be seen and went out on deck. Once there he prepared to set sail. When the ship was ready and he moved the sail suddenly the ship was moving. He looked at the sail but it was not full of wind. He looked to Poseidon's ship, he didn't see him, he tried to see his friend with any of his other "eyes" but it didn't seem like he could. He frowned and whispered, "Thank you."

They sailed a week before reaching land. Every day Argus practiced and learned where each spot, he graciously now called an eye, "saw". He had nearly memorized every eye's location. It helped that a quarter of them focused on him. Io told him it was for safety and warfare, he always would know who was coming for him. He agreed and realized she was a brilliant tactician the more they spoke about what they would do once they reached safety.

Unfortunately, Poseidon was correct, they never found it. 

Once they reached the safe peace of Illyria Zeus found them the next day. However he was far smarter than either of them had given him credit for, he sent a man ahead of him disguised as a storyteller, Argus and Io believed he was a native and he helped them find a safe place to hide. 

That night Argus gave Io his fibulae the only things of value he had and told her if anything happened to take them and sell them then run, as far as possible. If he couldn't keep her safe at least the money from his jewelry could. As he placed the two fibulae in her hand he saw the storyteller coming, he was naked brandishing a sword as he slammed into the circular hut.

Argus swiftly turned to block Io from the sword but he had no weapon. When he left his home, he'd left as a simple shipwright.

Io looked over her husband's shoulder seeing the thin man they'd trusted trying to lunge at them with his sword as Argus tried to run the perimeter of the home in a futile attempt of getting out of the only exit to safety but they both knew there was no hope.

Argus whispered, "Run, I'll be with you, always."

She fled feeling a warm spray on her back, legs, and arms but she didn't stop, she held tight to the fibulae and ran. She didn't stop even when she couldn't breath when her legs burned when her chest felt it couldn't take any more when she tasted copper dripping from her nose she ran still until she finally fell over then she pulled her exhausted body under some bushes to hide safely until she could run again. That night she dreamt she heard her husband's voice.

"Io?"

She lay awake in agony, both physically and emotionally. The voice was a sweet torment from the grave.

"Io, I'm here, I'll protect you."

Somehow during his death, he'd transferred his power and promise to the fibula that they had both been holding.

Io wore the fibula and no harm came to her or the children she bore three seasons later. She had made her way south to Dalmatia then farther across the Bosphorus and over to Troy there she stopped and had their children a boy and a girl eventually they went on to have adventures of their own. 

Over the years the story became convoluted and the magical fibula had been thankfully forgotten or treasure hunters would kill to find it. However people never forgot Argus and while the story would change over the years his fibulae had always been in the shape of the _ taos _, which happened to be Zeus's wife's favorite bird the peacock. When she found out he'd chased another woman across the Mediteranian he scoured the area to buy her a flock to beg forgiveness. While Argus and Io's story may have been exciting Zeus and Hera's did wonder's to cover up the existence of a magical artifact. It also didn't hurt that many gold and silversmiths began making peacock fibulae due to the popularity of the politician's wife.

Argus' Fibula

Over the years Troy became Turkey and when Gabriele Agreste's parents sent him away during Musolini's regime. He eventually ended up a weaver in Istanbul at the Grand Bazaar in 1946 and was given the trashy little peacock trinket by a neighboring stall owner. Liking it he pinned it to his shirt poking his thumb and bleeding in the process. Once he was alone he thought he'd lost his mind when he heard. 

"What _ are _ you wearing?"

That was the day Gabriele met Argus. Part of his gift had been longevity, Gabriele never seemed to age after he'd turned 25. At times he looked older from the way he dressed or the way he spoke but when he relaxed he looked as young and fresh as any man in their prime.

Argus liked Gabriele but something was not quite right with his beloved. Although he'd only been with his wife for a month he felt certain it was different than what Gabriele and Emilie shared but, if he said anything to the boy it only upset him. A knock on the door shook him from his musings.

~ ~ ~

"Gabriel?"

Gabriel opened the door, "you can come in you know."

Emilie's eyes were pink and swollen her narrow pretty nose was pink but otherwise unaffected, "I shouldn't have said those horrible things to you, can you forgive me?"

Gabriel smiled, "of course."

"I've decided to tell my lawyer that if they won't give me the lead role I won't be in the movie at all, because I know they won't. You're right we need to build our family," Emilie said earnestly.

Gabriel felt his heart pound, if only he'd kept his mouth shut, maybe he could alter the damage? "Emilie I don't want you to feel like I am pressu-"

"No, Gabriel, you're absolutely right, _ I _ am the one who wanted us to have children," a small sob broke free from her throat, "except, Gabriel, I'm," a small gasp, "I'm afraid, it's too late," she walked toward him and leaned her head on his chest, "I may be too old to give you children. It's all my fault!" She whispered while crying. "Unless…" she hiccupped gently, "maybe," sniff "Argus knows another?" she cried softly against him.

So _ that _ had been what this was all about, Argus thought to himself. Of cour-

_ Argus? _ Gabriel asked in his mind, _ Do you know of anything? _

Argus really didn't want to tell them what he knew. What he'd seen. He knew there were boxes filled with jewelry that aided the homosapiens. Pathetic creatures… lovable creatures… _ needy _ creatures. What had Poseidon said, they had been created differently because they were _ needed _. 

_ Guge, _he replied to Gabriel wishing he could lie to the boy.

_ Guge? Where's that? _

_ In Guge! Look at a map, I'm not a cartographer, I'm a shipwright! I read maps, I don't make the damn things! _

Gabriel sighed and held his wife, "We'll find something."

~ ~ ~

After putting Emilie to bed Gabriel went to The Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art (INHA) and checked the archives. After an hour of hunting, he finally decided he had no idea what he was doing. All Argus could tell him was East and mountains, but that was hardly helpful. He checked the halls and found the ancient history department. Finally finding an open door he knocked seeing an older woman inside reading three books he waited for her to acknowledge him.

The woman turned, "Yes?"

"Hello, I was wondering if you could help me, a friend of mine mentioned an ancient place and I've never heard of it."

"You're not my student."

"Uh, no, I'm not."

"Why are you here?"

"You're the only one still here."

"Oh, well then, what's the name?"

"Guge?"

"Guge? That's odd, not many people know about Guge, not even Chinese people themselves."

"It's China?" Gabriel said surprised.

"Well, it will be soon," She turned on her computer, it was quite a state of the art, it probably had Windows 95 on it. While it loaded she stood and walked to her bookshelf and as she hunted her computer spoke, "Welcome," she hurried back over and started her internet then went back to her bookshelf as the computer crackled, wooshed, and pinged its way through the phone lines trying to connect. "Ah-ha!" she yelled as she pulled down a book, she flipped quickly through it then stopped on a page and handed it to him, and tapped on the map. Between the familiar landmasses of India and China was the word "Guge". The woman turned to the wall behind Gabriel and tapped, "There."

Gabriel turned around and read the modern name of the country.

"Tibet."


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapter
> 
> Mininette/Mirai's last days in the temple before Emilie and Gabriel rescue her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A heartfelt thank you to KeysiShephert and SilverWhisperer who've been with me every step of my writing process (most especially the whiney part).
> 
> Please read the end notes I don't want to give anything away.

Mirai combed every inch of the temple… that she could. There had been a lot of damage but so far all she'd been able to find was one miraculous, the peacock. She was _ not _ thrilled when she'd found _ that one _ and refused to open it again. The kwami had a flair for the _ over- _dramatic and was whining about what he'd done to the temple and she just was not in the mood to deal with it. She'd tried to tell him it wasn't his fault but he wouldn't listen to her. Eventually, she ended up putting him back in his box. Then, hid the box in the pillar next to her "bed". 

Every morning she would wake up, wash and gather snow to melt for the day. Then she'd come back and make her way west, clearing the temple to the best of her ability. 

Last night she realized the pillars in the hall she made her home were some kind of retreat for the kwamis. There were 25 pillars but the box she'd been the guardian of had only had 20 kwamis. She looked carefully and realized that some boxes must have had more kwamis in them. Finally, she let Duusu go but she couldn't understand anything he said while he sobbed so she just stroked him until he calmed down. 

"If I leave you out are you going to be safe?" Mirai asked him.

Duusu looked around not quite sure if she was asking him, "Me?"

Mirai nodded, "yes, you. There is no one else here."

"Can I come with you?"

She would prefer if he didn't but, replied, "I suppose."

Together they made their way down some stairs she'd found the day before and she began clearing rubble away. Every day for the past two weeks she’d done the same. She carried the rubble to a room that was destroyed but seemed safe enough to walk in. So far she had become very well versed in old Madonna (or was it young Madonna?) as that CD was playing on her CD player as she walked back and forth with her bucket. 

“Mirai?”

“Hm?” she said, dumping the bucket into the empty room and walking back.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m a guardian-”

“A_ guardian! _Why didn’t you **_say anything!_**” Duusu yelled flying around her. 

“I did. I don't think you've heard anything I've said to you until now,” she told him patiently.

Duusu tried to see her logic but couldn’t, “so what are you doing?”

“I’m looking for…” she really didn’t want to use the term ‘survivors’ after all that would remind Duusu all his friends were gone because of Master Fu using his powers. Which was what he had spent all the previous night crying about. She cleared her throat, “_ anything _ that needs a guardian to guard it,” she came up with.

Duusu looked at her rather dubiously then shot directly through all the rubble she was clearing.

Mirai looked at the boulders she’d never clear alone and frowned. She _ could _ use Duusu, but look where that had gotten Master Fu, and Duusu didn’t seem like he was ready to be utilized after that experience. She let out a huff of breath puffing her bangs out of her eyes. Why hadn’t she packed scissors?

“** _Miraaaaaaai!_ **” Duusu yelled from the other side of the boulder.

“Shh!” Mirai responded, “I don't know if loud noises could make this place collapse or not!

“Oh!” Duusu spoke in a ridiculously loud stage whisper, then he came back through the boulders, “I can look for you so you don’t have to hurt yourself.”

Mirai wanted to rest but she needed to focus on the task at hand, “I’m fine, but I think that’s a really great idea, Duusu. If you scout ahead it would save a lot of time.”

“Or you could just make an amok to clear the rubble away.”

Mirai shook her head. No. She would not become Mayura, she would _ not _ become Nathalie. She was Mirai Chime, that was all. Using Duusu was a bad idea, "I don't think that's a good idea, especially after what you've been through Duusu. This way is better."

༻࿊༺

The next day when she had yet to clear even one-third of the path she decided maybe she had been hasty in telling Duusu no. He was quite companionable, friendly and helpful.

Seeing Mirai's hair sticking to her forehead with sweat Duusu slipped back through the rubble down a corridor then through more rubble where he found the library. 

Although "library" was perhaps a generous term. The books were all the same, a textbook of recipes and forms for powers. Rules for raising effective guardians and psychologically "sound heroes. The pseudo-library also didn't have many books but what was most exciting was on the small table next to a long-ago forgotten teacup was a box from a miraculous set. It looked like it belonged to Duusu's set. He desperately wanted to know who was in there but he couldn't fly through. It looked like wood but it was actually something else, a magical material that with words could even change its shape. Unfortunately one of its magical properties was kwamis could not pass through it. Duusu blew a raspberry at the box, flared his tail and shook it at the unhelpful box then flew back to Mirai deciding whether he should tell her what he'd found… or not.

༻࿊༺

Mirai wiped her head as she hauled another bucket full of stones to the spare room. Her triceps felt like they were on fire, in all the years as Ladybug she'd gotten full-body exercise but her arms and abs had always done the hardest work, but for some reason, this seemed so much heavier and harder than carrying people ever had.

"It's muscle exhaustion," she said out loud, "you're just tired, push through it, you'll get to the euphoria stage."

She dumped the stones and rocks and realized she'd been speaking out loud and groaned. "Great, now I'm talking to myself. Am I going crazy? No, everyone talks to themselves, I think it's healthy, yeah. It's probably time for a break anyway," Mirai reasoned, walking back with her bucket. 

"Duusu?" She said softly when she got back to the large pile of rubble she'd been working on. A frigid draft ran through the hall chilling Mirai, she rubbed her arms for warmth, "Duusu, I'm going back, it's getting cold, I'm going to start making lunch,” she called again and headed back to what she had begun to convince herself was her apartment. The large room was warm from the huge fires. Thankfully the room was built in a way that made it safe to leave them unwatched. She set about making soup, she really missed Maman’s cooking and Papa’s bread. She heard her sniffing echo in the room and coughed to cover it up. She wasn’t going to do it, she told herself, she was not giving in to self-pity. 

“Mirai!” Duusu said a few minutes later after the soup had begun boiling.

“Hmm?” she said.

“I found another box!”

Mirai stirred the soup and carefully took the pot off the fire then turned to him with a smile. She’d been right, she _ was _ meant to stay, she was not going to be Nathalie, she would not be part of Hawk Moth terrorizing Paris for nearly 10 years, “Where? Who is it? How many are in it?”

Duusu smiled, glad he’d told her, “On the other side of the rubble you’re using, there is a hall then, more rubble then, a library. That’s where the box is.”

Mirai’s smile faded, “Oh, well, we’ll get there,” then she brightened, “Do you know how many are in it?”

Duusu looked confused, “It’s just a box, not a case,” then his lower lip began to tremble, “All the cases were destroyed.”

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay now, don’t cry, Duusu, look you found someone, a friend!”

Duusu looked at her with huge tear-filled eyes and nodded.

“Alright?”

Duusu nodded.

“Okay, so who’s in the box?”

Duusu blinked away his tears, “I don’t know.”

Without thinking, Mirai spoke, “Then how do you know it isn’t empty?”

Duusu looked at her as if the idea had never occurred to him and as that idea worked its way through his mind she realized her mistake before his eyes filled with tears and the saddest words poured from his mouth.

_ “I killed them all!” _

Mirai gasped, pulled the kwami to her chest and rocked him shushing him. “Shh, shh, come on, we’ll eat later, let’s go check the box okay?” but Duusu was miserably inconsolable and deeply committed to his emotions. Mirai sighed and stood up carrying the sad kwami she walked over to her pallet. She reached under the pillar for the box she’d hidden and pulled out the peacock brooch and pinned it with some difficulty to her Starter jacket and simply called out, “Duusu, Transform Me.” She looked down at the little kwami before he was swept away to power his amulet, his face looked delighted and it helped her own feelings of doom. She sighed in relief, then giggled, then began laughing happily somehow she registered as an adult because it was December the Miraculous must consider her 18 she assumed. She'd learned about this when she'd studied. She didn't have a 5-minute limiter. Or a basic super-suit, as she or her team had worn when she'd been Ladybug. In her hand was the feathered fan she’d need to create the amok to clear the way. She walked toward the rubble she’d been working on for the better part of the week and picked up a small but distinct piece of stone, then pulled a feather from her fan and began creating an amok that would be able to easily clear the rubble, she added a few features, like lights and a stabilizing pole in case the roof caved while it was clearing, then began clearing the rubble quickly. The huge pile was cleared in less than an hour but like Duusu had said there was another huge pile of rubble before they got to the library. It took two hours for everything to be cleared. Mirai figured if she had done the work without using Duusu’s amok it would have taken a month to get to this room. She wondered what time it was, she didn’t know how to work the fan the way she used to work her yoyo. She looked around the library and picked up the box on the table and turned to go back to her room, even though transformed she was getting cold. Once in her room, she detransformed. 

Duusu looked at her then to the box in her hand. “You did it!”

She smiled and said what he needed to hear, “I couldn’t have done it without you. You did a lot of the work and your sentimonster moved all the rubble.”

“Sentimonster?”  
"Avatar?" She remembered she'd seen that word on Duusu's page when Master Fu had been her teacher.

Duusu smiled understanding, "Really?"

Mirai put the small pot back on the fire then with Duusu floating at her shoulder she walked over to where she kept most of her gear. She sat down and opened the box and felt her heart fall when she saw the purple stone with four beautiful wings resting on the red fabric. Then suddenly Nooroo manifested.

"Master Liu?" he looked around confused, seeing Duusu he turned to him for answers, "Duusu, what happened? Where is everyone? Who is she?"

Mirai felt near tears, everything was falling perfectly into place against her will. "Duusu, I'm going to go to sleep okay?" Mirai said and took the pot off the fire and went to bed without changing or eating, only removing her boots.

Duusu looked at the girl confused, "Okay." Then turned to his friend and hugged him, "Nooroo! You're alive!"

Nooroo narrowed his eyes, "of course I'm alive, what's going on?"

Duusuu threw himself at his old friend and burst into noisy tears and explained that a new guardian had found him and together the two friends talked.

Mirai turned away from the duo and felt hot tears slide across her nose, cheek and into her hair. How could she fall so low? From Paris' Hero to Paris' Nemesis she almost laughed hysterically. It was like Chloe used to say, ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous! She looked at her Baby-G December 24. She hoped Marinette realized how lucky she was, suddenly Mirai missed her parents and the idea of not being home for Christmas was unbearable. She cried herself into a miserable fitful sleep, not for the first time in the past 2 weeks.

༻࿊༺

The next morning she woke up and skipped all her regular chores and instead took a bowl meant to hold a small fire and went back to the library. Once there she looked at the books. They seemed to all be the same, well sort of, They contained multiple copies of the M. Agreste's book, but it looked like there were multiple copies of books about the other miraculous boxes. She wanted so badly to look at them but she couldn't. She knew she would end up Mayura and the information between the covers of those books was too precious. As a guardian, she would not read it. Her job was to protect miraculouses and kwamis, and she would do it. She left the room. She dropped off the little coal holder and picked up her bucket and started her morning errands and ablutions. She met Nooroo, he was a polite butterfly who was missing the guardian he usually worked with. The three of them ate breakfast and enjoyed a conversation about earth animals' similarities to kwamis. She went outside and cut more wood, she'd had a horrible realization earlier. She was a guardian, Master Fu might not have been able to train her completely and the once the monks had tried to take her miracle box she'd escaped and never went back and had to figure things out on her own but that didn't change the fact. She was a guardian. One of the most important parts of being a guardian was their willingness to sacrifice. She chopped at the wood, everything seemed harder without her miraculous, she _ would not _ touch her ears, she thought to herself. She brought the hatchet down forcefully.

Breathing roughly through her nose, forcing herself to look ahead and not feel anything she took the wood past the room she slept in and into the library and piled it overfilling it into the five fire pits.

She walked back to her room and shrugged out of her coat and picked up a notebook and pen. Then walked over to the cook fire and picked up the bowl and using tongs placed as many coals into it that would fit safely. Then walked to the library. 

She swallowed, she needed to do this. She took a pair of tong hanging over the fireplace amazed they hadn't been disturbed from when Feast had torn through, then again, this whole library seemed to have been saved. With tongs in hand, she placed a few coals in all of the fireplaces in the room. Then she took a steadying breath. In, out, in, out, she thought to herself. She couldn't do this. Her heart was racing, and she felt bile in the back of her throat. She put down the small fire and ran to the corner and threw up over the woodpile there avoiding the smoldering coal. She wiped her mouth but heard gasping and crying and knew it was her. She'd come here to be a guardian. She needed to do this. If she was going to become a villain she needed to do this to protect these books from herself and M. Agreste. They could not have so much knowledge. With a sob, she went to the bookshelf furthest from the information about the miracle box containing the Ladybug and Black Cat and took a book and held it over the flames but as it's leather began to dry and crack she let out a sob and threw it across the room. She couldn't, she just didn't have the strength to do it. She sobbed running from the room.

Before she entered the room she shared with the kwamis she wiped her face and tried to calm her nerves. She would do it in the morning.

That night she woke, smelling the delicious barbeque her father made when they went to the beach. It took her a moment to realize what she was really smelling was the library burning, the books had been covered in yak skin and they were burning.

She bolted up, "Duusu! Transform Me!"

Duusu flew over quickly, "I can't! You're not wearing my pin!"

"Shit! Where is it?" Mirai thrust her hand into the space under the pillar and grabbed the plumed brooch and stuck in onto her shirt, "Duusu _ transform me now!" _ she said picking up the closest thing to her and as soon as her fan appeared in her hand she plucked a feather from it and began creating an avatar to rescue the books, she'd been stupid, it was a bad choice, what had she been-

"Mirai? If there's a fire you need something that will cause the tunnel to collapse so it doesn't come this way."

Mirai listened to him and gave the avatar a huge scoop as well as the agile human hand, it was a rushed job and she hoped it would be able to make it easily over the terrain then she realized she'd need to go with it. She urged it over the stone path she shouldn't have made it so industrial it was slow-moving, finally, they reached the library, it was an inferno. She sent the avatar to the bookshelf containing Duusu and Nooroo's information and ran back out of the room then told it to come out. She took the book from it then ran back to her room after giving instructions on how to collapse the ceiling. With Nooroo at her side, they waited and waited and waited until the heat no longer carried their way. She looked at her watch, it was 8:38. She called the amok back and released her transformation and held Duusu close in tears.

"I'm sure this is the place, Emilie," came a male voice down the corridor.

"Hide!" Mirai said to Duusu and Nooroo. "And don't come out of your Miraculous until I tell you," She quickly ripped the brooch from her shirt and thrust it into the flannel's chest pocket.

"Shh!" replied a feminine voice, "I swear I heard something."

Mirai was shaking, there was no point in hiding, the entire room was obviously occupied. 

"Oh, la, la! Gabriel! Look what we have here, a squatter, can you imagine? In a cave?" Emilie giggled seeing the room.

Gabriel looked around, it actually looked pretty nice. Private. A place where people would leave him alone. "It's a temple, Emie, you should be a little more respectful," he said gently.

_ She's here. _ Argus warned

Gabriel stopped and grabbed Emilie's arm to prevent her from going further. _ Who? _ He replied.

"Gabriel! It's just a girl!" Emilie brushed off his hand irritated with his correcting her and ran to Mirai.

_ Remember what I said about women Gabriel, _ Argus warned, _ they can be dangerous when they're scared _. I should probably warn him about jealousy, Argus thought to himself.

Gabriel knew women could be warriors he wasn't a fool, but this girl obviously wasn't then he saw soot on clothes. He ran over to her when he noticed her hands were burned. "She's hurt, Emilie, get your first aid kit."

Emilie rushed to get the kit out.

Gabriel gently took the girl's hands, but she jerked them away with a hiss of pain.

_ Careful Gabriele! _

_ I am! Can't you do something? _

_ One, she's not wearing me and two, she's already hurt. _

Gabriel took her hands surprised that the girl really wasn't a child, she was actually older than Emilie had been when they'd met, but she seemed so small, "I know you can't understand me but I'm trying to help you."

Mirai looked up at him then jerked back at what she saw. He was so young, his hair was shaved in the popular bowl cut of the 90's, and he looked so worried about her, and… kind. This wasn't Adrien's mean father, and he definitely was _ not _ Hawk Moth, he was so warm, she felt her face warm and she looked away as her heart pounded and she stuttered out a response, "I understand you."

He smiled, not that she saw it, "Your French is very good."

Emilie was suddenly at his side, "Oh, darling, you must be in such pain. Gabriel, ask her if she's in pain."

"She speaks French," he replied.

Emilie looked at the girl curiously, "Oh?"

"Yes."

"They teach that here?"

"I don't know I'm French," Mirai replied

"How fortunate, we are too!" Emilie said as Gabriel gently applied a salve to Mirai's hands.

Gabriel leaned into Mirai's visual field making her turn red. "What's your name Petite Flamme?" he teased.

Suddenly all the pieces fell together in a puzzle with the perfect fit. It gave answers to questions that hadn't made sense before. Mirai knew then everything she'd known about Nathalie Sancoeur was true, and everything she'd learned about her future was too. 

It was Christmas, her hands were burned, and now that all the adrenaline had worn off immense pain was starting to set in, she felt her eyes fill, she just wanted to go home, to her city of lights. She suddenly realized why Nathalie's name was "Heartless". It wasn't chosen because she didn't have one, she chose it because _ he _ had it. Gabriel Agreste had her heart but his heart belonged to his wife, so Nathalie had none. She was indeed heartless but still filled with love.

How could she be in love with him? It was beyond ridiculous. But there was no denying it any longer,

"I'm Nathalie, uh, Nathalie Sancoeur."

  
  


༻࿊༺

_ Fin _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know people were expecting more from the ending but this story was about how she became Nathalie.  
I intend to write about her years between, but the stories I've already started need finished, or at least attention. I'm glad so many people enjoyed this story.  
For all authors, not just me, please comment or at least hit that heart and give them some kudos. If you comment to any of my stories, I'll always respond. Bookmark to get an email when stories are updated or subscribe so you get an email when any of my stories are uploaded as they are all from the same timeline.  
So, where can you go from here now? Even though everything is from a linear timeline you could safely read any story in my series, as GabeNath fans Toppled King would probably be your next stop but the next large work would be Today's Choices, Tomorrows Consequenses.
> 
> A quick shout out to everyone who has commented or left kudos on any of my stories, if you have written a story in any fandom I'm familiar with or an original story I have tried to read at least one story from everyone (I'm certain that I did)! Thanks for the comments and kudos but WOW you guys are great writers too! Keep up the good work you guys, a lot of you are in the middle of some really great stories I bookmarked you all, I can't wait to see what's next!

**Author's Note:**

> As always please comment, I always respond. Bookmark to get an email when this story is updated or subscribe so you get an email when any of my stories are uploaded as they are all from the same timeline. I believe in authors supporting authors so I try to read stories from everyone who comments and even gives kudos and comment on their work.


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